Of Bonds and Relationships
by whitelilies
Summary: Five sisters lost a father. Five sisters move away to try to heal. Five sisters are told by mother they are to get engaged to men they've never met - not the ideal situation.
1. Prolouge

**Author's note: **Since I didn't like what I've done to this story, I'm re-writing so there won't be as much confusion and hopefully better pacing. The storyline won't stray too much from what you've already read. Chapters are just going to be a lot more detailed now so the character's thoughts are a bit more understandable.

* * *

"Father…do roses have a reason to be beautiful?"

A girl of seven years was stooping down to level with a soft white rose. A docile breeze played with her pink, shoulder length hair. Her bright blue eyes were transfixed on a single white rose, wondering how something so gorgeous could exist. Lacus Clyne tilted her chin towards the sky in order to look up at her father.

"Of course, little lady."

A thirty-eight year old man stood behind his eldest daughter. His blonde hair hung over his blue eyes as the breeze blew. He was wondering why his white suit hadn't obtained grass stains during the time they were in the enormous backyard. He looked around the area for his other two daughters, leaving Lacus waiting for an explanation.

Lacus watched Sigel as he looked for her sisters. He always made her wait and that was when she learned to be patient. She returned her attention to the flowers.

Two rows of roses were planted in front of Lacus, reaching out to the side limits of the yard. The colours ranged from white to red. Behind the flowers were healthy hedges that were grown into a maze. The other girls must have been in there, Lacus thought, they loved to play in there. She attempted to grasp his attention again,

"Why?"

Sigel returned his attention to the girl and tried to word his answer so her mind would comprehend it. It proved to be a difficult task.

"Tell me something little lady. Would…you look at a shrivelled brown flower?"

Siegel reached down and plucked the rose she stared at out of the ground. Lacus angled her head towards him, a child's confusion evident on her young face.

"…No…?" Her innocent voice made him smile.

"And why not?"

Lacus opened her mouth to reply when a shriek cut her off. Both Clynes looked towards the entrance of the maze. Sigel was a bit surprised by the shrill noise, not knowing his daughter was capable of such a sound. But which one screamed?

"No Cagalli! Mommy said we shouldn't get our dresses dirty!"

A brunette, around the age of five, ran out of the maze in a spotless yellow dress. As Miriallia Clyne neared, Sigel could see the fear in her emerald green eyes. The dress she wore stopped at her knees and had small sleeves. It was designed to look like a long t-shirt than a dress. Behind the brunette came another girl, around the age of six, named Cagalli Clyne, in an identical dress.

Instead of having a clean, yellow one, Cagalli wore a brown-spotted, vibrant red dress. Her small face was covered with spots of dirt and her right held something. Possibly the item Miriallia was running away from.

"Dirty!"

Miriallia spotted Lacus and ran behind her, panting heavily. Her small fingers held Lacus' shoulders tightly. The brunette didn't bother to peek over the sheltering shoulder. Sigel watched with a raised eyebrow. Why didn't Miriallia hide behind him?

The eldest female Clyne brought both her hands away from her chest with palms facing outward, indicating Cagalli to stop. The blonde stopped in her tracks, not wanting to get her sister's pink dress dirty.

"Cagalli…"

All that was needed was Lacus' warning tone for Cagalli to lower her hand. Sigel spotted a ball of dirt in her small hands. He dug inside his pants pocket and took out a plain handkerchief. His legs carried him over to Cagalli and he bent down to wipe her face. His hands held her firmly as he roughly cleaned.

A sound of discontent came from Cagalli as Sigel knocked the dirt out of her hands. Auburn eyes widened when she realized that her precious dirt was not in her grasp anymore.

"Father, no!"

His hold went back to her shoulder and he started rubbing her cheek, making her close an eye. Cagalli tried to pull away but failed.

"Honestly Princess, I think that you're my son rather than my daughter. You should thank your mother for trying her best to make you look like a girl...Why don't you grow your hair out a little?"

"Yes Cagalli. Then you can be more ladylike, like Miriallia and me." Lacus said as Miriallia softened her grip.

"Like Miriallia and I, little lady. Always refer to yourself as 'I'."

Nodding, Lacus appeared at her father's side, holding Miriallia's hand. Cagalli shook her head vigorously, "No lady! Lady bad! Daddy want son! Cagalli will be son!"

Sigel chuckled at the blonde's dialect, "No Cagalli, you're a girl, you can't be a boy."

"Yes! Cagalli can!"

Smiling and shaking his head, Sigel pulled away from Cagalli and turned his gaze to Miriallia.

Her face was red from running; it was a hard task to get away from the child blessed with speed. She still panted quietly and hid behind Lacus again, in case Cagalli kept more dirt hidden from them.

"Are you alright, Miri?"

She was the only one who really looked like Via, Sigel thought. Her green eyes came from Via's side; and uncle of hers had them. The brown hair was definitely from Via though. The other ones were assorted colours...Where the red and pink came from, Sigel didn't have a clue.

"Yesh..."

He wondered if Via had a speech problem in her youth...Cagalli and Miriallia couldn't speak properly for some reason. By the age of five, Sigel was sure children could pronounce simple words accurately. Miriallia and Cagalli were almost past that age...

Ridding his mind of the notion, his mind went back to bothering little Cagalli. He poked her nose with enough force to make her fall backwards. She thrashed her arms around to keep balance. He laughed, catching his daughter before she fell on her backside. The blonde frowned and shrunk her mouth as a response.

"Daddy!"

Another person entered the backyard and all four Clynes turned towards the back door. With a red ponytail flying through the air and the ends of a dark green dress flapping, Fllay Clyne ran to Sigel. He released Cagalli and opened his arms for Fllay to jump in. She giggled as she landed and he kissed her cheek.

"How was shopping with mother, fairy?"

"Fun! Mommy bought Lacus and Miri new dresses. She got Stellar and I new dolls!" Fllay's face was bright as the sun above them. Despite being three years old, the young Clyne's grammar was better than her sisters'. The situation gave Sigel something to think about; May was throwing a party for her eldest son in a month and he wanted his colleagues to see his little angels. Although, the speech deficiency would have them raise an eyebrow.

Suddenly, he caught Cagalli sink slightly from the corner of his eyes and Siegel focused on the matter at hand.

"What did mother get for Princess?"

Fllay threw Cagalli a glance before looking at Siegel.

"A necklace."

Siegel grinned sadly before letting the redhead down. It truly was a shame that Cagalli and Fllay didn't have a bond as strong as Cagalli and Lacus. He hoped everything would work out when they were older.

A soft giggle broke into his thoughts. A two year old child with blonde hair giggled again. Looking past Fllay, the blonde man observed Via Clyne, his beautiful wife, holding Stellar Clyne, his youngest child. As they came closer, Stellar's eyes settled on him and she clapped her hands. The rest of the girls were excited to see their mother.

"Mom!"

""Mother!""

Before Lacus could run up to the older female, Siegel held her back and carefully slipped her the rose he plucked previously. After he smiled at her, the blonde man pushed her lightly to catch up with the others.

Fllay, even though she spent most of the day with Via, ran as well. She wasn't as excited as the others but still wanted to be like them. Via dipped down and kissed three foreheads. Her gaze then connected with his. Siegel smiled and walked over to her.

The brunette grinned and straightened. She walked over to him as well and when they were barely an inch away, Via briefly paused before reaching to kiss him on the lips.

Both were oblivious to the sounds around them as they entered a world or their own. His arms encircled her waist and pulled her closer, not aware he was squishing little Stellar. Siegel had been neglecting Via for the past week and he was happy they weren't on bad terms anymore.

He parted from her when he felt a tug on his moustache. Looking down, his blue eyes landed on Stellar. His youngest still had her fingers on his upper lip. Her mouth was off to the side, unsmiling. It seemed as though she was asking why he wasn't paying attention to her.

He smiled, grabbed her out of Via's arms and spun around once, holding her high up in the air. She closed her eyes and laughed. When she opened them, he found her pink eyes dancing. Her tiny arms flapped around, signalling she liked the ride.

Siegel noticed she wore a dark blue dress that also ended at her knees. He looked at his other girls.

Lacus and Miriallia were looking a caterpillar and the latter seemed a bit frightened. Fllay and Cagalli were bickering about nicknames.

"Daddy loves me more! He calls me fairy!"

"Because you tell him to call you! He made up Princess himself!"

The male frowned and pulled Stellar securely into his arms. He was about to go over to the fighting pair but Via beat him to them. It was without a doubt that Fllay started it. Sigel didn't know what possessed the girl to start these little sessions. The two got along well until December of last year. What happened then?

After the task was accomplished, Via came back to him, distracting him from the thoughts of the younger Clynes.

"Via…where did the dresses come from?"

That question had been bothering him for awhile. This was the first time ever seeing them. Via looked at him..._looked _at him. It was when this technique was used that Siegel felt like a complete idiot. It was as though he didn't know something vital when it was really something minuscule.

"Do you remember Daniel and Rob? They gave them as a gift for the girls' birthdays."

"Oh…"

How was he supposed to know that? It wasn't as though his free time was spent at the mansion anymore. Blinking, Siegel nodded, and took his thoughts into account. That couldn't be good at all. He then glanced down at Cagalli, who had been pulling at his pants.

"Cagalli hold Stellar."

He smiled, really hoping her grammar would improve. Stellar blinked at him and motioned towards Cagalli.

"Caga..i."

Siegel tipped her towards Cagalli and made sure the older blonde held the child properly.

The blonde held Stellar firmly in her arms and stuck her tongue out Fllay before she started to tell the younger blonde a story. She walked past Miriallia and Lacus so they wouldn't be overhead. Fllay glared at the back of Cagalli's head before sticking her nose in the air and walking off to open her packages.

"Oh, Siegel! Stellar's dress is going to get dirty!"

Before Via could rush over to the blondes, Siegel wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She looked at him with a frown and he merely grinned at her,

"Let them be. They're children, right?"

Via sighed and went back to watching her daughters.

"Why don't you follow your advice?"

He said nothing, knowing it was best not to stroke the flame. Instead, he looked around at his children.

Lacus was telling Miriallia something which held her interest; Miriallia was looking at the older girl with wide eyes. Fllay had seated herself by Miriallia's feet and was playing with her newly bought dolls. She would occasionally look up at Lacus then divert her attention back to the dolls. Cagalli was seated with Stellar in front of her and played 'Pat-A-Cake' while poking her nose once in a while, which made Stellar giggle and clap.

Siegel chuckled and said to Via,

"Will you promise me something?"

"Hm?"

"Make sure my girls are always happy."

* * *

Twenty-five year old Lacus Clyne jolted up from her bed. She brought her hands to the sides of her head and winced slightly.

That was the clearest memory she had of them all being together and happy. It bugged her when she could not think of any other memories. Christmas? New Years? Weren't they happy then?

Lacus opened her eyes and found the night was nearing daybreak. She wore a deep purple nightgown with long sleeves so she didn't shiver when a strong wind blew through, which made their curtains fly.

The woman slid out of her bed she shared with another and made her way around the bed. Before she walked towards the open window, she covered up the body on the bed. The wind had blown the covers away, revealing twenty-four year old Cagalli.

A peaceful expression arranged on her face, oblivious to the problems plaguing them now. Lacus smiled and walked towards the window. A sound was not made as she padded across the room. Reaching up to the rim, she brought the glass down.

"_Make sure my girls are always happy."_

Lacus could feel tears forming at the corners of her blue eyes.

"Mom's trying her best father…if only you were still here with us."

She whispered the words, not wanting Cagalli to wake up. A tear trailed down her face and splattered on the floor. Lacus slipped back into bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

A pair of auburn eyes was slowly revealed. The owner reached for her sister's hand and squeezed it gently. Cagalli could feel the pain Lacus had endeared for the last nine years.

"Thank you Lacus...for taking care of us."


	2. In Which Everything is Mostly Normal

**A/N: **Okay, important to read the notes in the first chapter! This story is being redone but it'll be similar to the other version. This chapter is unbeta-ed so if you catch any mistakes, please leave a note

* * *

A young brunette suddenly awoke to the sound of shattering glass.

She looked over her shoulder to the bedroom door then sighed. Her younger sister was the obvious cause of another broken vase. The brunette wished the other wouldn't be so clumsy, especially during the times they went to town.

She turned again, facing the window of her room. Her glazed emerald eyes followed her eyes to the blinds, staring at the yellow light shining through them. Judging by the intensity of the glow, she predicted the time to be around eight o'clock.

Again, Miriallia sighed.

Her tranquility would be lost as soon as she stepped out of the room. Having four siblings was fun majority of the time but deafening as well. Sorrowfully, the twenty-four year old woman pushed the covers away from her body and found her slippers before getting up from her bed.

She stretched and then opened her closest to put together an outfit for the day. After five minutes, Miriallia chose a black, knee length skirt, an orange shirt and a black blazer. The entire department was asked to dress professionally today for some reason.

And as the head of her squad, Miriallia was to follow orders without complaint in order to provide an example to her subordinates. It was quite a hassle but the profession had both pros and cons.

She worked at the Justice Departments as the First Aid Manager. Any injuries to any villagers were mended by either her or members of squad. It was having such a job that Miriallia understood how Lacus felt most of the time when she dealt with the rest of the Clynes.

She lightly slapped both of her cheeks to drop those thoughts prior to taking a clean towel from her closet. Hopefully the washroom wasn't occupied.

Miriallia hesitated before opening her bedroom door. She breathed deeply then opened it, allowing a wave of noise enter her ears.

A person, talking in a loud voice, ran past her in a panic towards the staircase. To her right, the brunette spotted her younger sister cleaning up strewn shards of glass from the floor.

Her red hair was tied in a messy ponytail and she wore a white robe, indicating she had recently stepped out of the shower. Surprisingly, Fllay didn't utter a sound as she cleaned the mess. Perhaps she was used to Stellar's frequent mishaps? If anything was out of place, usually either Cagalli or Lacus came to the rescue.

Miriallia wondered where they went.

"Morning, Fllay."

"Morning Miri, going to use the shower?" Said Fllay with a calm tone

"Mhmm…" Miriallia replied lazily, wanting to go back into her bed. "Did you need help?"

"I'll be fine. You should get inside before _Cagalli_ wakes up."

Miriallia tilted her head and frowned. Fllay always said Cagalli's name in a bitter manner. Any sort of conflict hadn't occurred between the two in almost two weeks, which was probably a new record. Not that she was complaining; it was nice to see the blonde and the redhead be civil with one another.

"_At the place where stars fall,_

_I'm always wishing for your laughter."_

Miriallia and Fllay gazed towards the staircase. They sighed happily after hearing Lacus' singing. The song she was currently singing was incomplete but it was divine to listen to her piano and voice first thing in the morning. The pink haired woman was writing the song for as a birthday gift to Fllay.

"Excited for the entire song, Fllay?"

Miriallia looked at her sister, who was shining with excitement. "Yes! Only two weeks away until Lacus finishes!"

The brunette smiled at her sister's abnormal childish behaviour. The redhead woman was the most sophisticated one of them all, who had a great interest in fashion and poetry. Yet at the moment, Fllay had her hands linked together and held them near her chin while her bright blue eyes were on the floor.

Shaking her head, Miriallia entered the washroom to prepare herself for work. Fllay didn't notice Miriallia leave her and started talking to herself about the song. She was in the middle of talking about her presents from her boyfriend when Cagalli entered the hallway, from the furthest room in the hallway, in a sleepy state. She stretched her arms, trying to loosen her heavy muscles.

"Who are you talking to, the ghost or your imaginary friend?"

Fllay's happy mood disintegrated as soon as she heard her older sister's teasing tenor. Her bright eyes turned to ice as she looked over her shoulder. After glaring at the blonde, Fllay resumed cleaning the broken pieces on the floor.

Cagalli had always been a bother to her. Moments of happiness would alter into annoyance. The older woman always had to say something to ruin Fllay's mood. Having two weeks of harmony was too much of a miracle; something had to occur to wreck it.

"Leave me alone, I'm busy and not in any mood to deal with you."

The blonde frowned as she ran her hand through her messy hair. The way her younger sister talked, one would think Cagalli was a naughty child of five years. And why did Fllay have to be so rude?

"Why the hell do you have to be so rude?" Cagalli demanded, crossing her arms as she leaned against the wall behind her.

"Why do you have to use dirty words?" Asked Fllay as she finished cleaning the mess and placed it into the corner. She had to wait for Stellar to come back with a bag so she could dispose of the glass.

"My dirty words are the only way to get through your thick head."

"Thick? Anything but, dearest sister, and I think I'm being quite civil towards you." Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she stood to face the other eye to eye.

"Civil? Ha, you're as pleasant as the mayor."

Cagalli smirked as Fllay's jaw dropped. To refer to someone as the town's mayor was a great insult in the Clyne household. Nobody was fond of being compared to the greediest, foulest, and rudest man in all of Orb.

The woman of twenty-five walked past the redhead in victory, heading towards the staircase to see if any help was need to prepare breakfast. She hoped Miriallia would be quick in the shower.

"…It's not a wonder you can't find a boyfriend, Cagalli…"

Auburn eyes widened at Fllay's statement. That was a sensitive topic for Cagalli. She turned swiftly, her rage building every second.

"At least I'm not a slut!"

Silence ensued as two pairs of eyes went into shock; Fllay because of the foul name her sister had given her and Cagalli because of the word that came out of her mouth.

The two didn't realize the piano stopped, didn't hear footsteps on the staircase and didn't notice Lacus stand at the head of the stairs with her hands by her side, a livid expression amongst her features. Cagalli called out to her sister, hoping she would listen to her.

"F-Fllay-"

The redhead didn't give Cagalli any time to apologize or give any sort of explanation. She turned away from the blonde and ambled away angrily to her room. Fllay knew her eldest sister would want them to forcefully apologize to each other but she didn't want to deal with those two at the moment. Before she slammed her bedroom door shut, she could hear Lacus starting her peacekeeper role.

"Cagalli…that was-"

"I know Lacus, unnecessary." The blonde kept her eyes trained on Fllay's door, "I'll fix this since I went out of line. Do Stellar or mother need help downstairs?"

"I don't believe so."

Without turning, Cagalli nodded and went to her bedroom, which was, ironically, right across from Fllay's. Lacus figured the younger woman needed some time to herself to think about the dilemma.

The pink haired lady sighed. She wished, with every inch of her soul, that all of the Clyne children would be able to get along. The minor conflicts they had among each other couldn't lead to anything good, Lacus thought.

She inhaled and exhaled deeply before descending down the stairs to kitchen. Because of the early morning bickering, her inspiration to finish the song was lost. The twenty-six year old woman hoped she would finish it before Fllay's birthday.

As Lacus mused over the song, another blonde woman spun from the kitchen into the hallway. Neither noticed the other since they were lost in their thoughts and soon, they bumped into each other.

"Oh Stellar, I'm very sorry. Are you alright?"

"Hm…Stellar is alright."

The one named Stellar tilted her head to look at her older sister in a new perspective. She observed Lacus' smile wasn't as sincere as usual. So something must have happened to make her sadden her previous happy mood. Stellar didn't like it when her sister wasn't happy because that meant Lacus' songs wouldn't have a cheerful tone to them.

"Why is Lacus sad? Did Cagai and Fllay yell at each other again?"

Lacus blinked in surprise before returning a softer smile to her lips. Because of an accident many years ago, the twenty-one year old Clyne daughter damaged her brain. The doctor told them the chance of her recovering fully was at two percent. She had said Stellar would be a bit slow and would constantly be in a world of her own.

Despite the words of the doctor, Lacus couldn't help but be proud of her youngest sister's analytic ability. Stellar didn't seem to be as slow as everyone thought and she always proved her intelligence, which everyone forgot existed at times, even Lacus herself.

"Yes, love, those two had another quarrel but Cagalli said she will fix it. The only thing we can do is trust her, neh?"

Stellar's face lit up at the mention of Cagalli. "Yeah!"

Lacus patted her head and moved to the side to let her resume her activity. She then walked into the kitchen to set the table for breakfast. She hadn't seen Miriallia this morning and hopefully the brunette wasn't sleeping.

Miriallia had a bad habit of sleeping past work hours and Lacus thought it lucky the younger woman hadn't been asked to leave the workplace as of yet.

Shaking her head, the woman greeted Via Clyne, the mother of five adult daughters. The eldest Clyne in the household looked up from her newspaper and smiled.

"Good morning, Lacus. Did you have a peaceful night?"

Via sipped her coffee and Lacus nodding, lying to her mother.

"That's good."

As the pink haired daughter reached for the plates from a cupboard, Via watched her. Lacus knew how to hide her negative emotions from the world, but not from her mother. The greying brunette always felt an unsettling feeling whenever one of her daughters lied.

Lacus, feeling the older woman's gaze, paused and turned to look at Via over her shoulder.

"Mother?"

"…I was just wondering if anyone else in the family has your hair shade. I don't know anyone from my family who has such a shade like yours or Fllay's, for that matter."

Lacus resumed working and placed the plates on the counter. As she closed the cupboard door and opened another to obtain glasses, Via walked to the counter and reached for the plates in order to aid Lacus set the table.

"Does everyone have blonde or brown hair on your side?"

"I believe so. I think there are a few ravens and blue haired relatives of mine although you five didn't inherit those colours, obviously."

Lacus smiled while placing a glass by each plate, "What about father's side?"

Via thought before speaking, "Well, I remember him saying you looked like a distant aunt of yours…so I'm going to assume she has pink hair."

Lacus laughed, "I suppose that solves one of the great mysteries. What of Fllay's hair?"

"I'm not really sure. I know for sure there isn't anyone from my side with red hair. Maybe it's one of those genes which appear every few generations. Despite so, I'm very happy with her colour; it's very different from others around us."

The younger woman nodded. "Miriallia definitely inherited hers from you and Cagalli from father. Stellar's shade seems to be a bit lighter than father's or Cagalli's, though."

"Hm…that is strange, isn't it? I suppose it'll be another mystery to solve, alongside with Fllay's."

"Aside from hair colour, where did Stellar's shade of eyes come from?"

Via filled a jug of water and then poured it out into two glasses for Lacus and Miriallia. Lacus nodded her head in thanks and poured orange juice for Stellar, milk for Cagalli and mango juice for Fllay. She then looked over the table and noticed that Fllay and Cagalli had been assigned seating beside each other…again.

Lacus sighed. Even though Via tried very hard to have the two understand each other, Lacus knew how they would react. She switched the plates without Via noticing.

"Yes, that pink is abnormal, isn't it?"

The pink haired woman nodded.

"Your grandmother had those eyes."

There was a tinge of happiness in the older woman's voice. Now it was comprehendible why Via loved Stellar's eyes so much…but then a thought struck through Lacus' mind; why hadn't they ever seen their grandmother, from Via's side?

"Mother!"

The sudden shout startled both women. Cagalli rushed down the stairs, wearing in her civilian dress. It was white with short sleeves and the end of it reached half way down the shin. Some dresses were tainted a certain colour and in Cagalli's case, it was tainted a baby blue which was barely noticeable.

Starting from the waistline, there were small buttons along the side and Cagalli was rapidly fastening the last one near the bottom as she entered the kitchen.

"I'm late to work so I'll be having breakfast at the dojo." She looked up to find the table set for six, "Thanks for setting up the table though."

She jogged towards a surprised Via and kissed her cheek and waved to Lacus as she left the kitchen.

"I'll come pick you up from school, Lacus!"

"Yes, thank you, Cagalli."

Via laughed as the front door slammed shut. "That girl of mine can be very overprotective, yes?"

Lacus nodded and smiled sadly. She was felt guilty for being happy. Since she was one of the more attractive women in the village, the men would always attempt to flirt with her. Lacus couldn't bring herself to tell them to leave her alone since she knew that they were all very lonely adults.

Luckily for her, Cagalli was her sister. The blonde wasn't afraid to tell people what she thought, whether it was good or bad, and Lacus admired her for it. And at this moment, Lacus was content with only family.

"Mama," Stellar's melodic voice came from the living room and Via left the kitchen to see what it was the woman desired.

She glanced over her shoulder and found Lacus preparing breakfast for the family.

Via sighed. Even though Lacus said she was content with her life at this moment, there would be a time when she would regret her decision. Hopefully, the girls wouldn't detest her too much after they heard her plans…

* * *

"Stellar, stop slacking and get to work please."

The manager of Latté Way said politely. He sighed and rubbed his temple. The youngest member of the work force was very cute but sometimes her imagination could in the way.

Currently, the blonde was staring at the clouds through the window while clutching a tray tightly against her chest. He wondered if the dirt from the tray would get onto her tainted red white dress. Her expression was one of mystification and as adorable as that was, it wasn't appropriate for the shop.

Joe knew the other blonde Clyne would see to his death if he fired this woman. He ran his hand through his dirty blonde hair and blinked, covering light blue eyes for less than a second. What could he do with this one?

Before he could muse any longer, Stellar turned and gave him the sweetest smile he had ever seen. It kind of made up for the times she made fun of his name. But it was normal for his to be ridiculed since it was a very ordinary name compared to others in the village.

"Joe-Joe, would you miss Stellar if she went away?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why would you suddenly ask that, Stellar?"

Stellar only asked questions and spoke in third person when some issue was bothering her and that worried him. If Stellar sunk to an emotional level lower than what she was at, then he would lose customers since they loved to talk and listen to what Stellar had to say from time to time.

No matter what, he couldn't lose to the Café on the other side of town.

"Stellar wants to know if she's very important to Joe because of herself or because she brings in business."

As shock settled into Joe's mind, the wind chime sounded indicating a customer entered the vicinity. While Stellar waited for an answer, her smile never disintegrated. Her eyes sparkled with excitement to hear her employer's reply.

Her pink eyes then diverted from Joe to a person behind him.

"Welcome, Stellar will be with you in a moment."

She looked back to Joe.

"Stellar…you are an invaluable asset to both the Café and I."

They both stared at each other, which made Joe slightly uncomfortable. The nails of his fingers dug into his palms subconsciously as he hoped the blonde accepted his response without question.

Seconds passed before Stellar nodded.

"Joe-Joe should go back to work."

She smiled again and walked past him to a table by the window, where a brunette and redhead sat. Looking over his shoulder, Joe caught the glares of them both. He sighed after realizing the brunette was Stellar's older sister but who the redhead was, he didn't know.

But Joe liked her desirable figure. He winked at her before returning to his office at the back, not seeing the disgust plastered across redhead's face.

Her companion looked away from the older man and snickered. Miriallia could feel the hate emitting from her sister.

"That look doesn't suit you at all, Fllay."

"What a despicable dog!"

"Calm down, we might get a notice to leave here otherwise and from Stellar, of all people."

"Fllay, Miriallia, what would you two like?"

Stellar quiet voice seemed to calm Fllay since the next thing the brunette knew, the redhead was laughing and conversing normally. After two minutes of exchange went by, Stellar excused herself to obtain coffee for Miriallia and tea for Fllay.

The two women watched their sister as she worked. Stellar was graceful and they were proud.

"She looks like a doll." Fllay remarked.

"I agree, she's the sweetest little girl."

"But she's not a girl anymore, Miri…" Fllay glanced away from Stellar and chose to look at the clouds outside.

"Here you go, would you like anything else?" Stellar delivered two drinks and lingered for their response.

"Nothing right now, love." Miriallia answered for both of them and Stellar nodded, waving to them then walked to another table at which a young man with jet black hair sat there, looking a bit troubled.

"Can you believe Stellar's twenty-one? She twenty-two in a couple more months…" Fllay's fretting voice interrupted Miriallia's observations, signifying she needed some support and Miriallia caught on.

"Well, we can't be young all our lives. You're turning twenty-four soon and then Cagalli will be twenty-six soon after."

"I know, Miri but I don't want to grow old. I like my life right now. Who knows what it'll be like in the future…"

The brunette gazed back towards the table and watched as Stellar and the man spoke. He seemed to be around the same age as her…but she couldn't be sure. As she continued with watching, she spoke,

"Fllay thinking about the future? What's wrong with you? Did Ssigh say something to you?"

"Oh stop it. Ssigh didn't say anything to me. I'm just getting a feeling that something's about to happen…and not just something small but immense."

The two turned away from their objectives in time to look at one other straight in the eye. Fllay's normally confident blue eyes were troubled, and that definitely wasn't normal. Did what Cagalli say affect her?

"Are you thinking this way because of what Cagalli said this morning?"

"I don't care if she called me a slut, what does she know anyway?" Fllay snarled, swallowed all of her tea and slammed the cup down. She caught attention of a few people.

Miriallia blinked, "Well…I'm just asking."

The brunette hoped Cagalli would attempt an apology later on in the day. Miriallia didn't know if she could handle an emotional Fllay. At the moment, the redhead needed to be distracted.

"Hey, Fllay, I couldn't help but notice that man over there paying special attention to Stellar…"

* * *

Tolle laughed.

He always found stories about the Clyne family extremely amusing. Miriallia swatted his arm affectionately to make him stop but he didn't.

"Tolle, you're so cruel! Fllay is having a hard time right now. I think she might break up with Ssigh soon." She whined playfully.

"Okay…okay, I'll stop…Well, Ssigh and her aren't the perfect pair anyway."

As the brown haired man slowed his mirth, he pulled his girlfriend of three years into him and rested his arm around her shoulder.

"And we are?"

"Obviously."

The two, from the top of a hill, watched as the children played tag in the backyard of the church. They were released from work early and they decided to have the time to themselves. The police department was a stressful place to be in.

The sun wasn't too bright and the winds kept coming and going, chilling the woman's body. She cuddled against her boyfriend and rested her head on his shoulder, sighing.

"It would be great to be children again, wouldn't it?"

Tolle mused before replying. "Well, adults can be children too. For example, Fllay and Cagalli; how long have they been fighting for? Since the day Fllay was born? They should learn to get along with one another."

She shook her head. "No, their personalities are very different so it's hard for them to get along. I think they're rather mature than others, actually. They don't spread gossip or rumours about one another and then there are times when they get along just fine."

"So a love-hate relationship?"

"Not particularly…just a normal sibling relationship."

"Oh? Do you and Stellar fight then?"

"No, but our relationships with each other aren't normal. There are barely any fights in our family so I suppose Cagalli and Fllay balance everything out."

She looked up at Tolle and couldn't help but admire him. He wasn't the most handsome man in the village but she loved his dark brown, curly hair. They reached his shoulders and they contrasted with his green eyes.

Before she could think anymore of his appearance, he looked down at her.

"What are you looking at?"

"Your ugly face."

"…I don't think green's your colour."

A moment of silence passed by as Miriallia registered what he meant.

"This dress is _tainted_ green, it's not entirely green."

"So? It's still a shade of green and it doesn't go well with your skin tone. Orange is better."

"Green's my favourite colour…and I hate orange with a passion. You know that…"

"So?"

"I'm not wearing it, ever."

"So? Just because you hate something, doesn't mean it's not good for you."

The two stared at each other and then chuckled. She swatted him again but he dodged.

"I don't think you're ugly, Tolle."

"I know…but I still think orange is better."

* * *

'_Please…'_

He waved goodbye to the child who was last to leave for the day. The sun was hitting its rays on the Reverend's lower back, telling him the afternoon was nearing its end.

Soon, he would hear graceful heavy footsteps along the cobbled pathway leading to the church. And no sooner did he think it did he hear such footsteps. That meant it was time for Lady Lacus to leave for the day.

"Welcome, Lady Cagalli."

He was sure she bowed because he felt a slight breeze hit his chest. Then it stopped, meaning the blonde adult was upright once again.

"Good afternoon, Reverend. How are you today?"

He grinned. She linked her arm with his and led him inside, where her eyes calmly sought for her sister.

'_Protect them…'_

"When Lady Cagalli asks, it must mean she really is interested in my health, true?"

She chuckled, "Of course. You know I wouldn't bother asking otherwise."

Reverend Malchio responded to her question positively, which led to more questions and eventually a pleasant conversation. She told him about the morning conflict with Fllay and he gave her suitable advice, which was rather obvious, if Cagalli thought about it.

Then their discussion turned to place him in the limelight. Reverend Malchio told her about the feeling he received during his morning prayers.

"It was a sensation very different to what I am accustomed to. It came to me as I thought about the children and again I shall say, such a dark feeling had not ever entered my mind. Was it the Lord telling me something would go wrong?"

He was asking the question to himself rather than her and she was aware of it. Cagalli let him settle deep into his thoughts and searched the lobby for Lacus. She should've finished cleaning the playroom by now…

'_When I'm not there…'_

Cagalli frowned, anxiety starting to build inside of her. Unknown to the blonde as she worried, the Reverend was silently observing her. He could feel her apprehension emitting from her mind clearly.

The woman had nothing to worry about since Lacus was obviously in the church. Today she decided to pray after the children came. He wondered how Lady Cagalli would deal with her sisters leaving her one day for their future husbands…or how they all would handle leaving one another.

From what he heard from the two eldest Clyne children, everyone in the family adored the youngest and that was natural in almost any family. He gathered himself that Lady Lacus and Lady Cagalli were very close. Lady Lacus was the only sister Lady Cagalli waited for at the end of the day and he wasn't too sure why.

"Cagalli…Reverend…"

Both looked up to the soft voice. Lacus stood at the doorway of the nave with a hand resting on the doorframe. She blinked and grinned.

Her sister and mentor stood by the entrance of the church, arm in arm. The sun's rays shone entered the building and coloured them a dark shade of orange.

"Lacus!"

Cagalli's childish smile made Lacus giggle. Sometimes the blonde could be too overprotective of her sisters. She walked towards them and stopped in order to bow to Reverend Malchio.

"Thank you for today, Reverend."

"Thank you to you as well, Lady Lacus. We'll meet again in the morning," the other two nodded, "Have a good night."

""You as well, Reverend.""

The women bowed before turning away to leave towards home, their sanctuary. Neither of them started a conversation as they walked. One was preoccupied with thoughts of her bad feeling from the morning and the other thought of the black haired man who she caught staring at her youngest sister.

Cagalli wanted to know who this man was and Lacus wanted to know why she felt unrest in her heart.

* * *

Via placed a fork next to the plate, completing the table set up. The papers were hidden in the corner of the dining room, where no one would be able to see them and Via planned to bring them out after dinner.

There seemed to be tension in the Clyne residence and she wanted to know what was happening. As minutes ticked by, the six persons table was completely set up with dinner.

She sighed.

Finally, after two years, the plans were arranged and it was time to let the girls know of them. They might dislike her for awhile but they couldn't be angry with her forever, she knew. With one last look at the table, Via called the girls down.

As she waited for the girls, she walked over to the large window, next to the door, and drew the curtains. The night was beautiful, with twinkling, bright stars, a full, shining moon and a purple tainted sky but it would be too distracting during dinner.

Soon, thumps on the stairs were heard and Via smiled, looking over her shoulder.

The first one down was Stellar and she quickly stood behind a seat next to Via's seat. Lacus was the next to come and she stood across Via's seat, at the foot of the table. The two chatted about some foreign object and Miriallia joined their conversation when she came from the kitchen. She stood behind the seat next to Lacus.

Cagalli came down the stairs and Fllay from the downstairs washroom at the same time. They paused and glared each other for a total of three seconds before resuming their walk. Via frowned, wondering what was wrong this time.

The women never bothered to dress for dinner and most of the time, they would wear their nightgowns or outfits not appropriate for the public to the table. Via wished they would stop doing that. The only exception was Fllay but even that was a stretch.

The redhead would have her hair either flowing over her shoulders or tied up in an elegant bun. Fllay could never really be as simple as her sisters and that was what made Fllay, Fllay. Via's eyes strayed from her redhead daughter to the rest of the girls.

Cagalli stood next to Stellar and Lacus and listened as the three conversed. Fllay stood between Miriallia and Via's seat, looking at her nails. The older woman sighed and walked to the table.

Everyone stopped talking and looked at her.

"Evening, girls."

Via sat and everyone then followed her lead. As the women ate dinner, they all talked about the Orb's largest city, Emerald City, which was on the opposite side of the country. Fllay wanted to take a vacation there sometime soon as did Stellar.

Miriallia said she enjoyed the quiet life of the village and Lacus agreed. Cagalli didn't have much to say but she kept glancing towards Via every five minutes, as if she was waiting for something to happen.

"Can Cagai get me water?" Stellar asked, not wanting to get up and get it herself. She knew she could get whatever she wanted easily, whether it was small or big.

"Sure. Anyone else want some?"

"I would."

Fllay spoke, not bothering to look at her sister as she placed a carrot in her mouth.

"I'll be right back." Cagalli tried hiding the annoyance from her tone but failed. Miriallia sighed and continued eating her mashed potatoes.

Via watched Cagalli enter the kitchen. Scanning around the table, she found that most of the girls were nearing the end of their meal. She decided to tell them as soon as Cagalli got back from the kitchen.

Soon enough, the blonde came through the door with two glasses of water. She gave one to Fllay, who muttered a very quiet 'thank you', and walked around the table to Stellar. She then sat and finished her meal.

"Girls, I have something to tell all of you."

Five sets of eyes fell upon Via and she looked around, taking a deep breath.

"What I'm about to say won't be easy to absorb or accept but I would like to you to try anyway."

She stopped again but this time, her pause was longer. This was frustrating some of the girls. They wanted to know what this big announcement was and their mother wasn't exactly doing a great job telling them.

"And what you want to say is…"

Fllay remarked, hoping to push her mother into saying what she had to. Via breathed deeply again.

"By next March the 8th, so exactly a year from now, each one of you will be engaged and hopefully ready for marriage."

Silence ensued but didn't last.

"WHAT?"

Naturally, Cagalli was the first to react. She stood and slammed her hands on the table furiously. The motion was hard enough to knock over Fllay's water onto her pants. It wasn't really a big deal but Fllay overreacted.

"Cagalli, what the hell?"

"Fllay! Watch your language." Via snapped but she was ignored as Fllay jumped to her feet, ready to verbally fight with the blonde. As the two exchanged heated words, Miriallia began to recover from her shock.

"Mother! You can't do that, you didn't even ask us!"

"Mother, I must agree with Miriallia, this is unfair."

"It's just WATER, a clear liquid that won't make any sort of stain on your clothes!"

"It's the fact that you got it ON me! Is this your way of proving I'm a slut?"

"What? How does that work?"

Stellar watched her family argue with one another. She assumed Cagalli wouldn't be wanting her carrots anymore so using a fork, she took them off her older sister's plate.

"Fllay, it's just water! Lacus, I know you're very reasonable, you should understand why I did this."

"So what if Lacus understands, mother, we don't! Or do we not mean as much to you as Lacus does?"

"That's not true, Miriallia!"

"Sure seems so…"

"You dropped water on my pants to show how easily I can take them off, right?"

"NO! How the hell did you get that idea?"

"Cagalli! Fllay! SIT DOWN!"

There were only two other occasions when Via Clyne yelled at her daughters. Instantly, the vengeful redhead and tempered blonde sat down, not saying another word. Their eyes sheltered fear of their mother's anger. Miriallia and Lacus chose not to speak either. Stellar was still not affected by any of this.

Via stared at each girl for duration of two seconds before moving on to the next. She was mad and the girls were going to do as she said, whether they liked it or not.

"I want you five to listen to my words carefully."


	3. Two Months Later

**A/N:** I do not own any of the characters written about in this story.

* * *

The two men attracted more attention than honey did bees.

And the shorter man of the two, standing in the arrivals section of the airport, loved the attention. Attention was the keyword in his life and it was the main motivational factor in his life. Even though Sei had relatively normal, short brown hair, his crystal blue eyes and vibrant personality were enthralling to both men and women alike – especially women. Oh, and his deliciously toned body was the major selling point for anyone.

His taller, darker skinned and sterner partner clicked his tongue in slight disgust. Never before had Nanburete seen a man so superficial, Sei was admiring himself in a pocket mirror, and apparently neither had any of the other people around them. Namburete changed his thought process to his original notions and was glancing around at the choice of exits to use when their patron stepped into the airport.

The quicker they left the area, the better. Not many people knew of the last minute flight but he was sure news would spread quickly, especially if someone recognized them as Orb's Democratic Party members. The fans would soon hoard, hyper and happy, and block the exits – their patron was a very popular man. This wasn't something Nanburete was looking forward to as he was sure he would be the only one fighting them off. Sei could be fairly unreliable around women -

"She's not too bad. That is if you apply an entire mask of make-up on her face and add some extensions to her hair."

- and not in a flirtatious manner either. The darker man rolled his eyes but said nothing. It was the umpteenth time he had heard that exact phrase. More so then criticizing the woman, Sei was trying to accept her as a woman who would soon become a part of the most powerful family in all of Orb. So in a way, it was criticizing, but just in a more subtle, annoying manner.

"It doesn't make sense to me how she turned out like that compared to the older one. Thank goodness we have the pretty one as the fiancé, otherwise that would've ruined everything."

"There is more to a person than appearance." He responded his in thickly accented Japanese. Despite working and knowing this man for more than ten years, sometimes Sei's shallow tendencies infuriated him.

"Ah yes, yes. Of course, you would know, wouldn't you dear sir?" Nanbruete frowned as Sei loosely draped an arm around his shoulder. It was one of those moments where he wished to punch Sei but would resist, for the sake of their friendship – if it could be called that.

Suddenly three distinct beeps were emitted on the speakers before a woman's voice came on, enlightening everyone of the arrival of Flight 93S9 from Australia. Nanburete reached for his sunglasses from his breast pocket and put them on.

"Well, my lovely foreigner, it's time to get to work." Proclaimed Sei with some seriousness interlaced in his playful tone.

"...Indeed."

* * *

Despite it being a warm spring day, it was a day he dreaded would come.

In about five hours, his brother would step onto Orb soil and frankly, it really irked Shinn. He was content these past five years without a brother and without a nagging father. Without that condescending, blue haired man near the family, Shinn was able to find common ground with their father.

But now that the eldest was coming back home, it was all about him again. Everything at home was becoming frustrating and suffocating which was the reasoning behind Shinn's sudden departure. His journey had led him here, to the countryside where it was much more peaceful and friendlier.

Where in the city would you be greeted by everyone as you walked down the street? Where in the city would a shopkeeper sincerely enquire about your day?

"Good afternoon, Mr. Zala, how are you today?" Shinn almost winced when the blacksmith called him by his family name but he contained his composure and nodded his head, honestly answering the question. In turn he asked how the business was going and received a hearty reply. Both men exchanged goodbyes and Shinn continued his walk down the dusty street, listening to the noises of the marketplace and avoiding bumping into other shoppers.

Aside from the horrid fish stench lingering in the air, Shinn thought this village to be perfect. He wouldn't mind settling down over here at all. At least he'd be away from the politics and drama at home. Unfortunately he had to leave tomorrow and greet his reunited family. It would be annoying but there was hope in his heart that he could leave right away unnoticed. It would be perfect.

"Ah, red eyes."

Normally, Shinn would be appalled to be greeted in such a way but only one person would say something like that. He stopped walking and looked to his right to find a young, blonde woman looking at him with a soft smile. It seemed as though she had been out and about as the ends of her white dress was lightly stained by dirt.

"Good morning, Stellar."

"Mornin' red eyes."

He frowned as she closed the distance to him. "Shinn - my name is Shinn."

"Mmm..."

She had come so close that their noses almost bumped. He grinned awkwardly, aware she was looking at his red eyes but felt very, very uncomfortable with the lack of distance between them. Shinn wasn't too sure why his eyes were so fascinating but every time they met, she would stare at them, not caring about social barriers.

"...Were you busy, Miss. Clyne?"

She slowly shook her head, her pink eyes still set on his.

"...Would you like to join me?"

She stepped back and studied him for a moment before agreeing. And so the two young adults walked the streets of the quaint village. First there was a comfortable silence then Shinn asked a question or two, which led to a conversation. As they walked, they passed the tailor, who gave the blonde a kiss on each cheek, the butcher, who offered him a good price for six pounds of meat, and the baker, whose shop she insisted they stop at.

He wouldn't have refused her anyway.

"Hello, Mr. Juan! What are you baking today?"

"Senorita!"

Shinn's gaze lingered on her as she spoke before turning towards the friendly baker. There was something different about this girl…no, woman. He knew they were the same age but it felt as though she was much younger than him.

Stellar Clyne recently turned twenty-one yet she carried an air of innocence around her. She was spellbound by the simplest things but he noticed she loved the ocean more than anything.

She showed him the beach once and they had spent almost half a day there. Stellar would collect seashells and he would follow her. Time to time he would learn something new about shells or sea creatures in those rare moments when she rambled on.

"...Shinn?"

He blinked and a blush faintly coloured his cheeks. It was the first time she had said his name.

"I'm done. Are you going to get something?"

"N-no, I think – whoa! Who is all of that for?"

In her slender arms, Stellar held four bags of something. They didn't look particularly heavy but just seemed like a _lot_ of sweets.

"For my sisters." She said with a smile. Shinn frowned. "I'm meeting Cagai soon and we will be going home together."

"Ah...would you like some help?"

"No thank you. I can carry them."

The tanned baker chuckled as they left the shop. His chuckle was unnoticed by the duo as they continued on their walk. Eventually they ended up on a path that split in two: one led towards the residences further inland, where Stellar lived, and other led towards the beach. Stellar stopped walking and looked to her right. Shinn followed her gaze.

"This is a beautiful place, isn't it?" She commented as she stared at the glimmering ocean.

"It is..."

"Stellar will miss her home very much."

"Ha?"

The blonde looked at him with another smile but there was a hint of sadness etched to it. "Stellar is leaving this place forever, Shinn." She looked towards the ocean once again, "Stellar is leaving with her sisters."

Shock settled slowly into his mind and body. But it was more than shock he was feeling. It wasn't misery because of her departure because he too would be leaving this village soon. There was a sadness within him which did not arise from his feelings but from hers.

It was obvious she loved this village, that she was comfortable here. Whenever she switched to using third person when referring to herself, it indicated a degree of stress.

"I'm...I'm sorry you have to leave, Miss. Clyne."

"...Stellar."

They looked at one another, her odd pink eyes gazing at his unusual red ones. He hesitantly nodded and slowly grinned.

"Goodbye, Shinn."

She turned and walked away hastily but she stopped once more to look at her ocean. Shinn kept his gaze on her, watched as her dress fluttered in the sudden breeze and observed as someone approached her. This was clearly her sister; they both had blonde hair and carried the same posture as they walked. The two Clynes stood side by side, conversing while looking at the ocean.

Shinn looked away, feeling as if he was intruding on a secret moment between sisters. He wasn't sure how much time passed by as he was lost in thoughts but when he returned his gaze to the two sisters, they were well on their way home. And the older one was looking at him over her shoulder.

* * *

The tension between them was thick enough to the point where Lacus and Miriallia avoided them.

They both avoided the living room downstairs, where packing still needed to be done. The pictures needed to be dealt with, the fireplace needed cleaning and the delicate china set their mother collected needed to be packed away carefully.

Fllay was packing delicates from shelves in the living room into small boxes. Across the room sat Cagalli as she lined up frames and photo albums in a bigger box, wrapping each frame in a layer of white tissue before placing it inside. They rarely spoke to one another since the morning incident two months ago. As much as they weren't fond of one another, they disliked the fact they weren't on speaking terms even more.

Because the blonde and redhead were so opposite in personality, it was hard to find common ground. It was difficult to converse properly without getting onto the other's nerves. Whenever Cagalli heard Fllay speak, she felt a tremendous urge to tease her and more often than not, the teasing was taken too far. Fllay on the other hand, felt as though Cagalli had so much more potential to be more than the tomboy she was but was too lazy to do anything about it.

What Fllay did annoyed Cagalli, what Cagalli did frustrated Fllay. It was a never ending circle and would continue to be so. They understood this but they could do without it. Being the older of the two, the blonde decided it should be her to take the first step.

"Fllay..."

"What is it?" The younger woman responded in an uninterested manner which caused Cagalli to bite her lip to stop a retort from escaping.

"I'm-I'm sorry for calling you a slut." The blonde continued her work and Fllay froze for a moment before continuing as well.

"I forgive you." A small grin made its way to Fllay's lips. It wasn't a victorious grin but one expressed that a huge burden had been lifted. Suddenly her day became brighter. But there was something else that needed to be addressed.

"I apologize for bringing up the boyfriend issue."

"Whatever."

And so the two Clynes continued working, each of them grinning. True, either woman was not about to forget about what the other said but for now, peace was needed.

"You know Fllay, I don't really like fighting with you. It's tedious."

"I'm not too fond of it either but that's just the way it is, Cagalli."

"I suppose it isn't bad as long as we make up after."

"...I suppose it isn't."

'_Because we are sisters, after all.'_

The thought was left unsaid by either of them and instead they made small conversation about the village and leaving it behind.

Fllay told Cagalli about Sai and their messy break up. She thought he might go a little insane without her and the blonde just rolled her eyes, saying the redhead thought too much of herself. This retort was met with a wad of newspaper thrown at her head. Cagalli told her about the raven haired boy and Stellar.

There was something not right with the boy, in Cagalli's opinion. Fllay said she was just being overprotective and another argument was born.

Lacus, who was on her way to the kitchen, stopped at the entrance of the doorway and listened to her sisters. She could express the happiness she felt because it seemed as though Fllay and Cagalli had reached another step in their relationship. Yes, there would be fights but there would always be make-ups.

But as quickly as good feeling passed, her previous grief settled in once again. Leaving this home of theirs was taking a horrible toll on all of them, especially their mother. Even though the aging brunette did not tell her daughters about what she was feeling, it was clear to them what she was going through.

This very house was one that she developed from a dingy shack to a decent, modern house. It was Via's masterpiece, her pride and joy. Now she was to leave all of it behind as she had decided to sell it.

No one was happy with the decision but it had to be done. Their mother had managed to secure their old mansion in Orb somehow and they would be moving in less than a month. Lacus would miss the countryside very much...

She walked past the now bickering duo and opened the front door to let in a breeze. Spring just arrived and the days were becoming lively, just when they were to leave.

With downcast blue eyes, the eldest Clyne daughter returned to her chores. But when the harmonious voices of Fllay and Cagalli reached her ears, she couldn't help but smile. Even if they left this place forever, what mattered was their unity.

* * *

"_You only need to take Johnston with you. Dismissed!"_

A man dressed in Orb's military uniform, and fashioned with light green collars to represent the Emerald City division, saluted the young silver haired Commander and replied in Polish before turning around in a half circle to leave the office. The youngster was caught off guard by him and showed it clearly. A lesson was yet to be taught to this one, the young Commander mused. After saluting him once more, the sergeant trotted off to appease the revolt downtown.

Rau Le Creuset, who was watching the exchange carefully, chuckled, catching the attention of Yzak Joule, his fellow Commander. It was strange to see such a young one take up the same position as him; a position that he ensured after years of labour. To be promoted so quickly must mean the higher order saw great potential in this twenty-five year old soldier.

Normally a soldier climbed ranks every two years or so because of the strict training and requirements given and needed at each level. By the age of thirty, a man could expect to be commanding his very first unit. Rau himself started when he was twenty-seven. There wasn't any feeling of animosity between them, he saw no need. Instead he considered Yzak to be an ally, a man capable of handling the messiest situation.

Yzak, on the other hand, thought of his position and capabilities a tad differently. First he saluted his senior then reflected on the behaviour of his unit. He felt they were incompetent and lacking lately. Unfortunately, because of their lethargic nature, those who were against the Democratic Party of Orb took the chance to commence a revolt. Right now the rebellion group was small and manageable but the boys would get a lashing later.

"Good afternoon, Sir. Any urgent matter to be discussed?"

"At ease, Yzak and no, nothing of the sort. You shouldn't be saluting someone of the same rank, Commander."

The silver haired adult smirked, "It is difficult for me to see myself as your equal, Sir. I still have a lot to learn."

It was only to this man that Yzak spoke nothing but truth to. There was something about persona of Rau Le Creuset that intrigued Yzak – he had spent a good eight years together with him and Rau Le Creuset always managed to surprise him. Perhaps it was his total disregard of people that kept Yzak thinking about him or maybe it was something else entirely.

Whatever it was, he was vulnerable to it and very unaware it was a weakness that could prove to be fatal in the future. But the future wasn't something Yzak lingered on. For him, it was the present that mattered.

"And it seems as though there's a burden on your mind, Yzak."

...Right, the present did _matter._ Yzak sighed and turned to his left to look outside the window at the lively city below them. Early this morning, his mother went about as she usually did about grandchildren. She would always playfully complain about his lack of girlfriends or potential wives. Ezalia had even warned him that if he didn't do anything about it, she would. He didn't take her seriously and never did he regret it more than he did this moment.

Apparently, his mother had been searching hard for a potential life partner for him and finally found one. He had never heard of her before and when he researched her family, he realized she was one of the daughters of Sigel Clyne, once a top-notch businessman who owned a chain of toy factories many years ago.

The Clyne family lacked a good reputation and whatever thought Yzak had given to his future wife, one of the requirements was that she was to be a reputable lady. He didn't want some nouveau-rich family to be bonded with his respected one. It was shameful.

As he told Rau the main reason for his frustration, Yzak didn't notice Rau's slight frown.

* * *

What May Andras valued above anything else in the world was punctuality.

Her brown eyes surveyed the foyer and she almost lost it; there was dust _everywhere_ and the cleaning supplies were just thrown against the carpeted stairs. Since they spiralled, it was difficult to see if anyone was at the top. Perhaps if she did see her smiling husband, she would've lost it right there and then.

If her guests arrived sooner than expected and happened to spot all of this, it wouldn't be a good night for anyone.

May Andras was a woman with sharp, defined features. Her eyes were small and intelligent, her cheekbones high and her lips thin and pressed. Unfortunately, she didn't belong to those groups of women who had a kind personality behind their sharp looks; no, May was a tempered, organized, and harsh woman.

"Carl! Carl, where are you?"

She walked into the foyer and her heels clicked on the floor of the foyer as she ambled. Aside from the clicks of her heels, not a sound was made. The maids and servants knew to keep away from the mistress when she was in a foul mood because _anything _could happen.

"Hello darling~"

May let her step complete before she hastily turned around, sending the hem of her white, branded jacket flying around her knees. Her eyes were narrowed but the sharp lines around her eyes almost softened when she found her husband running towards her.

In no time at all, he picked her up by the waist, spun her around twice then let her down gently. Carl then lightly kissed her on the cheek. May sighed and rested her forehead against his.

Carl's soft features, rounded face and blue eyes contrasted greatly against her. His eyes were always filled with mirth and his toned, athletic body was something she loved resting against. Seeing her husband always relieved her stress…but today was a little different.

May pulled away from Carl and frowned at him.

"Who left the cleaning chemicals on the stairs?" She asked in a slow manner and interlaced her anger within the sentence in a subtle but obvious way. Carl shifted uncomfortably.

"Guess who came to visit us, May? Orga just came an hour ago and he's in the study with Shani and Sting. Go say hello!" With that, the retired soccer player pushed her towards into the hallway and prompted her to go into the study. She sighed as he disappeared before walking towards the room where all three of her sons were enjoying one another's company.

It was convenient Orga had come as she had some issues to discuss with him.

"…chill, man. You're both anal idiots which is probably why you don't get along."

Shani's language annoyed her quite a bit. And who were they talking about? Surely one of them was Orga, as he tended to be 'anal' when concerning his material objects.

"Use proper vocabulary, Shani and do not disrespect her."

"Only calling it as I see it."

As she approached closer to the study, she could spot Shani's shoes on top of the leather couch. He was lazing about on her favourite couch.

"Feet off my couch, Shani."

A young man with the same shade of green hair as hers, about the age of twenty-two, sighed and righted himself. His long bangs covered one eye and the vile music he was listening to was blaring from his earphone. May asked him to turn the music down, a request he reluctantly obeyed. Sitting across the room, on the bench of the grand piano, was her eldest and next to him, her youngest.

Sting greeted her immediately and she nodded in his direction. It seemed as though he had just returned from a concert as he was still wearing his suit. The black bowtie was loosened and his sleeves were pushed up. May was very tempted to frown but she didn't; it was rare to see her three sons together in her home.

Orga was twenty-four and had the most beautiful dark green shade of hair and the most gentleman-like personality. He was clearly her favourite out of the three as he was proper and knew what must be done in order to keep a reputation intact. Her younger sons were not quite aware – or in Shani's case, very aware but without a care – of how to be in the presence of others.

Out of the three, Orga was the most reliable and pleasing – which is why he was the perfect candidate for the task she had for him. He would be the one to become the future husband of one of the daughters of the Clyne family.

* * *

She was too frustrated to cry.

From the day their mother announced her intentions to marry all five of them off, Miriallia had been arguing with Via. The young brunette didn't want to marry a stranger; the person she would remotely consider spending the rest of her life with would be Tolle.

But even then, the topic of marriage had never been spoken about in their conversations. The atmosphere in the village was very laid back and there wasn't any feelings of rush present. The only times she had felt rushed was during exams or emergency patch-ups in her workplace.

All of this was too much and she wasn't going to stand for it. Unfortunately, neither was Via.

Her mother had met Tolle previously on a few occasions and it was no secret that she wasn't fond of him. It was because of her body language towards the man that Miriallia never told her about her relationship with him until today.

"No, Miriallia, he's not acceptable." Via folded her blue blouse and placed in the suitcase lying open on the bed.

How many times had she heard this phrase?

"Mother, he is more acceptable than a perfect stranger with an enormous amount of money. How could you even _think _about arranging our future lives with complete strangers? I _refuse_ to marry someone I do not know!"

"Miriallia! Do not raise your voice at me. What I'm doing is for everyone's sake and one day you will thank me."

"Mother! Tolle is the only one I want and I will not have any other than him! You are a terrible mother for doing this to us!"

Before she could hear her mother's retort, she ran from the bedroom, past Cagalli and into her own. She locked the door so no one else could come inside. She did not want to interact with anyone who was willing to give up their lives so easily for the sake of their mother. It just wasn't fair.

Cagalli, who was attempting to piece together what happened, stood confused in the middle of the hallway. She then walked towards Via's bedroom with the intention of questioning the woman about what exactly happened.

"Mother – oh."

Sitting on the bed was an upset Via. Her eyes were brimmed with tears and her face coloured red from irritation. The blonde understood right away. Their mother was a woman who was very, very accustomed to having things done her way. She had a fairly dominant personality and as far back as Cagalli could remember, Via had always had trouble keeping control of Miriallia.

Miriallia was more of a free spirit compared to the rest of them. She was far more of an artistic soul than anyone in the family – yes, Lacus had her beautiful voice but her talent in music was almost nothing compared to Miri. The brunette was educated in general music and instruments, such as the piano, violin and the flute. Her artwork was magnificent as well.

Oh, and she had inherited Via's stubbornness more than the rest of them.

"She makes a valid point."

"I know Cagalli, I know. But there isn't a choice in the matter. We need to leave by the end of the month and I had promised you girls that much time to say your goodbyes and prepare yourself for this. I don't understand why Miriallia won't _do it._"

Cagalli thought for a moment before taking a seat next to Via.

"Well mother, it's fairly obvious if you think about it. She is in love with this village and more importantly, she is in love with her boyfriend. How does someone who's in love move on so easily?"

"Cagalli…"

"But you know about this – you fell in love with father and didn't move on so easily from him."

"…And what gives you such an insight, dear daughter?"

"Because you haven't re-married. There were plenty of men available after father's death, wasn't there? It's what you kept telling us anyway."

Neither woman said a word for a very, very long time. It was then Cagalli, who was quite proud of silencing their mother, decided it was time to leave Via to mull things over and talk to Miriallia.

On her way towards Miri's bedroom, the blonde thought about what to say to her younger sister. The brunette had concrete arguments and was the only one who really was willing to fight for them. Lacus was content to move because everyone would be together and she hadn't become too attached to anyone here. Stellar would always listen to what Via said and Fllay was breaking up with Sai and needed a fresh start anyway.

None of them liked the suddenness of the situation but they all dealt with the idea…

"Miriallia, may I come in?"

Silence ensued for a few moments before the blonde heard Cagalli reluctant footsteps coming towards the door. She heard a click and waited five seconds before opening the door and entering the room. Now, what could she say to Miriallia that would possibly help the situation at hand for the good?

* * *

"_Son! Greet the morning!_"

The faint voice called, signalling danger. The dim yellow glow he saw on the back of his eyelids suddenly turned into a bright orange, causing him to open his eyes then cringe at the brilliance of the sun entering his bedroom.

Dearka Elsman groaned and turned over to his other side and pulled his blanket over his head. He never understood why his father would always abuse his privilege to enter the apartment every morning. If he waited two minutes, the alarm would have sounded and Dearka would've awoken himself.

The blankets were pulled away from him and the young man turned his head upwards to frown at his father, Tad Elsman.

Elsman senior was a rather big man in structure, almost matching a football player's stature. His teeth were always so white that they gleamed. He never went outside without a suit and without both his index fingers sporting two identical diamond studded rings. Somehow, Tad managed to add to his image with these rings; even though they were diamond studded, they were quite tacky.

"I'm surprised you don't have as many women here as I thought you would."

Dearka ignored Tad's statement. "…Dad…it's a Saturday…it isn't a work day."

"Oh no, you aren't going back to bed, boy! We have things to do and discuss. Now hurry and get dressed."

Tad pulled Dearka out of the comfy bed and pushed him towards the shower, commencing a one-sided conversation while his son freshened up. Eventually the conversation became disjointed and odd. Dearka learned many years ago to just leave it be because if a question was asked, Tad would go off on various tangents in order to explain his thoughts then again on other tangents to explain the previous tangents.

It could get tiresome.

Soon they were on their way to the office, stopping once so Tad could make a move on Dearka's neighbour, Aisha. Too bad her boyfriend was not too far behind her. It was during these situations that Dearka appreciated his father's suaveness.

"…and I expect to have three children – the youngest should be a daughter. I want you to leave for Sicily after your honeymoon-"

Dearka instantly stopped walking and stared at the back of Tad's head. Children? Honeymoon?

"What?"

"And there you go again, not listening to a word I say! This should be done with your wife, not your father, Dearka!"

Tad frowned and lightly punched the top of his son's head, completely ignoring the shocked expression Dearka held. He continued to walk towards the elevator, waving casually at the employers who bowed in respect to their CEO.

"I said I want the youngest child to be a daughter. She'll be my little princess, my little angel. I've always wanted a daughter but then I had you."

"Kids? Why are you talking about kids right now?"

Tad pressed the 'Up' button of the elevator and glared at his son. "Son, you must really learn to listen when men are talking. It's natural to have children after marriage, if you didn't, then you should be ashamed. Children are the wealth of a family!"

Marriage?

What?

* * *

**Lily: **Oh my, I haven't written in so long...hopefully my still hasn't changed too much and I have given the characters development in comparison to my other two chapters! My interest in this story, and writing in general, has been revived. As always, constructive criticisms are always appreciated :)


	4. Of Old and New

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gundam SEED/Destiny or any of its characters.

**A/N:** Thanks for all the reviews everyone! Hopefully this is still going at a good pace...and I'm not entirely sure who I already responded to in terms of reviews, so if I haven't responded to you, drop me a line and I'll get to you asap!

* * *

"It's always a pleasure to see you."

Murrue Ramius, who was shopping in the farmer's market for ingredients for dinner, sighed and turned around to face her comrade. The tall blonde man sported a cheeky grin as usual and was sitting atop a low rising wall, separating the market from the beach.

"Sometimes I wonder if you wait for me here everyday, Mwu."

She turned and continued her business, ignoring him. It was obvious he was bored and wanted attention. Too bad for him, there was a mission to complete and that was to find the ingredients for her employer's meal. He had a strange stomach; he wasn't able to digest the foods people of high class ate.

He was constantly the subject of every joke the maids and butlers made, even those not working in his household jested about the oddity of Ulen Hibiki. Mwu was one of the few who did not, surprisingly.

"But I do. Your life is a routine so when you aren't here at exactly 4 p.m., it is a cause for wonder."

Mwu had jumped off the ledge and followed his companion, hoping to get a reaction for his subtle insult. When Murrue didn't react, he inwardly sighed. She was changing quite a bit after taking on the role of Head Maid of the Hibiki household.

Their superiors were getting worried.

The blonde took the basket from her and assisted with searching for the food items. He was allowed free time today because his employer's son, Athrun Zala, was returning this evening. Patrick wasn't fond of having household workers near when he spoke to his son of political matters…

"What do you want, Mwu? We aren't supposed to be communicating unless there's a safe zone."

"I know."

"Then?"

Mwu sighed. He didn't want to confess the true reason for constantly waiting for her to come to the market and he thought she should've known why. Sometimes his Captain could be incredibly oblivious for a woman her age…

"I feel lost in my assignment time to time. I haven't heard from anyone above for almost two months. I thought this was natural but this is ridiculous! Shouldn't they be contacting us at least once a week to be informed of matters?"

The brunette didn't speak for a very long time. She continued her chore and finally spoke after 5 minutes.

"Mwu, you are second in rank to me and for a person is such a position, the ability to improvise is strongly encouraged. Don't disappoint me."

She turned and he was slightly shocked by lack of emotion in her eyes. What…was happening to her? Were superiors right about her turning into one of the enemy?

Murrue said nothing else and retrieved her basket from him. Mwu watched as she walked through the crowds of the market. It was then he realized that the chances of seeing her again became much slimmer.

* * *

Stellar didn't like the new home. There were many things wrong with it.

First, it was too big. If she yelled for one of her sisters or her mother to come to her room, they would not be able to hear her. She had tried to call someone to her room continuously when she saw the female spider eating the male spider but no one came. This concept of energy was taught to her by Cagalli but this was her first time seeing it.

Second, it smelled like dust which meant it smelled old. Her siblings were constantly saying her sense of smell was much too strong but this was absurd. How could they not smell the dust on the curtains? Her mother said she had told the butler to freshen the house many weeks ago but Stellar did not believe her.

Third, the butler was too old. He recognized her from when she was a _baby_. That was too abnormal – it was 19 years ago! How could someone remember a baby from then? It sounded suspicious to her.

She really didn't like it here but not one cared to hear her protests. Miriallia was being a snappy ogre and said Stellar should've voiced her complaints earlier instead of being a doormat. It wasn't her fault that she was willing to try something new. Miriallia was just being a brat so they weren't talking to one another.

Cagalli was ignoring her too. She was apparently too busy with her 'lady lessons' to care for whatever else was occurring in the household. And Lacus, someone Stellar thought would always be there to appease her boredom, was too busy running errands with mother. Both of them wouldn't be in the house in the mornings until late afternoon. They never took her with them.

That left Fllay, but she was always locked up in her room. Cagalli said she was busy hating the world in there and Stellar thought, during their first night in the mansion, that they could hate their separate situations together. When she proposed the idea, Fllay said she wanted to be alone.

Never had Stellar been ignored by all of her family members. So she ignored them right back. Instead of pining for their attention, she concentrated her energy on amusing herself in the human sized chess board which was built on their huge front yard. She loved it.

The set towards their home was red and the opposite side was white. They were dusty and dirty but in the two weeks they were here, Stellar took the chore of cleaning all of the chess board herself. The butler offered assistance and sometimes she'd tell him to do this or that. It was fun having someone do what you told them to but it was also a nuisance. It meant that she couldn't always be left alone.

Well, after all of this was cleaned, Stellar would not allow anyone else to play with them. The butler was an exception since he was the only one who bothered to make time for her.

* * *

To be honest, Kira Hibiki never imagined himself to ever marry.

He was always under the impression his future would be that of Ulen Hibiki's present. Ulen was a man who decided very early in life that work came first. He strove to create his empire and succeeded. Now he was one of the most powerful men in Orb. But in order for this success to come about, he made a sacrifice.

He did not have family of his own blood.

Kira came into the Hibiki household of five years of age. Since then, he was nurtured to become a scientist like his adopted father. His interests were in biology and engineering. Although to be honest, engineering wasn't a subject he excelled in.

One of his long time friends, Athrun Zala, was the one considered to be the perfect engineer. His knowledge of the different disciplines in engineering was amazing. The area he excelled in was mechanical and had built numerous animal-like devices. He had even given him a mechanical bird as a birthday present.

Athrun was an inspiration to Kira. He was confident in himself and had the intelligence yet chose acting as a career choice. It was true that there were some tension between Patrick Zala and Athrun when it came to his career choice and his courage to leave Orb and continue with his passion amazed Kira to no end.

He wished he was like that.

As things stood now, the relationship between he and his father was very…professional. It was almost void of emotion and Kira did not have the courage to commence an emotional conversation with Ulen. The air of intimidation of the greatest scientist in the world was incredibly strong.

So now, when the topic of his marriage was brought up during dinner, Kira did not how to react. Should he smile? Should he feign anger?

"I did not raise you to be a mute, boy. Staring at the picture for ten minutes and not saying a word? It's ridiculous."

"…I was searching for the right words to describe my thoughts towards this, Father."

"Ten minutes is too long."

"My apologies."

"And, what is your response?"

"I…accept."

Ulen stared at him for many moments before returning to his meal. He did not say a word and Kira did not know whether or not he was pleased. Surely Ulen would want an approval, which was why the photo was shown to him.

…Right?

Kira looked away from his father to return to his meal but then caught a glimpse of the Head Maid from the corner of his eye. She bowed and questioned whether or not Ulen would like the company of Tad Elsman later in the evening.

It wasn't a hidden secret that Ulen Hibiki was not fond of the Elsman family but it seemed as though both Elsman men were completely oblivious to the opinion. Kira and Dearka weren't particularly close; he was more of Athrun's friend than his.

Kira suspected the reason why Ulen disliked Elsman Sr. was because of his playful sexism against women. It was once a subject brought up many, many years ago, where the scientist scolded Kira for looking at a random woman's chest while she was talking instead of her eyes.

Tad's habits were known to everyone in their part of society. It was a wonder why Dearka did not fall into the same habits as his father.

"Their company is welcome later in the evening, Ramius."

Kira raised an eyebrow.

* * *

As shallow as it might have been, Fllay would've preferred staring at her reflection in the pond on this fine sunny day than follow her mother inside into the Joule household.

Today was the day she would meet the grouch in the picture: Yzak Joule. The skin on his face looked tight, as if he hadn't smiled in a long, long time. She was told he was in the army and supposed that would be the reason why smiling might have been a foreign concept for him.

"Fllay, come along and stop stalling."

The redhead sighed and glanced around the large property. Well to be honest, every property was large in this district of the city – the area of the upper class. As much as she disliked the idea of such segregation, she did enjoy viewing the homes of the millionaires.

The Joule mansion was the first she had seen with a pond in the front yard, complete with some swans bathing in it. Now, as much as she liked pretty things, she hated swans. Once upon a time, years and years ago, she and Miriallia were playing in their backyard when a swarm of swans attacked them.

"_Fllay!_ Come along! Ezalia is waiting for us and it is incredibly rude to keep a host waiting."

Via, who was dressed in her best blue maxi dress, was waiting for Fllay at the top of the gravel path, her hands on her hips. The younger woman rolled her eyes and hastened her pace.

Honestly, it should have been the other way around; the man should be the one to visit her home in order to ask for her hand in marriage. It was traditional and honestly, it was a moment she awaited since childhood.

She always wanted a handsome Prince Charming to whisk her away from her home, asking her hand in marriage. There were many stories Via would tell the children about her youth and they were very romantic. Fllay never thought her 'prince charming' would be a rigid military man.

"Via! It has been too long."

A woman about Via's age emerged from the mansion's entrance, her arms outstretched and engulfed her mother in a hug. She had silver hair and brilliant blue eyes. This woman…had a strong aura of business surrounding her. This must be Ezalia, her potential mother-in-law. Fllay quickly patted away any folds in her pink summer dress and adjusted her white sunhat.

"Ezalia…indeed it has been too long. This is my daughter younger to Lacus and Cagalli, Fllay."

The redhead closed her eyes and curtsied. When she opened her eyes, she found the silver haired woman smirking.

"It seems as though my grandchildren will continue the line of blue eyes."

Ezalia chuckled and Via joined albeit uncomfortably. Fllay blushed. This was going much too fast.

She followed both women into mansion and couldn't help but gape at the how high the ceilings were. The beams or anything of the sort couldn't be seen…just black space…and the rusty coloured walls did not complement the foyer either. It just looked incredibly dark.

"Yzak will be joining us momentarily. He had an urgent meeting this morning and has been gone since. You must be looking forward to meeting him, eh Fllay?"

Ezalia winked at her and Fllay faked the shyness of a young child, causing her mother to _almost_ roll her eyes. Soon, they were settled in a burgundy and gold themed parlour. Maids and butlers entered and filled the table with food and drinks for the guests.

"…and of course, Tad just had to make a move on his son's neighbour. I hear Waltfeld is usually very calm and friendly which makes me curious as to how he'll handle Tad. He's very protective of Aisha, his long time girlfriend."

"Tad…hasn't changed very much, has he?"

"Not at all, Via." Ezalia chuckled then prepared tea for all three of them with the items on the table. "Do tell me about yourself, Fllay."

Fllay, who was much more interested in this Tad individual than impressing her host, smiled and tried to blush. Blushing brides were always a good thing, she heard, so blushing candidates could be a plus for her. She continued to tell Ezalia of her likes and dislikes, which eventually started a great debate between her and Via.

They argued about literature. It was noticed too late by either Clyne that Ezalia was calmly observing them. "It's nice to see a mother and daughter interact so freely with one another."

Fllay truly blushed at the tone used; it was hinting at amusement yet taunting at the same time. True, she wasn't being as lady like as hoped but it was a side of her which could not be contained.

"Mother! Please accept my apologies for being late."

Fllay noticed the slight hint of surprise which passed through Ezalia's features. The man who called out could be no one other than her fiancé. In less than ten seconds, a man wearing the city's Commanding Officer's uniform appeared in the doorway and made his way to them.

"Via, this is my son, Yzak." The man reached towards Via's hand and kissed it gently.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Ms. Clyne."

Via grinned. "The pleasure is mine, Yzak. This is my daughter, Fllay."

The redhead stood and curtsied, hiding her eyes with her hat. "It is a pleasure to meet the man who guards our beautiful city of Esruald.

"You give me too much credit, Miss. Clyne. It is because of our effort of our disciplined soldiers that our strength holds."

He grinned innocently enough but Fllay noticed this gesture did not reach his eyes. Those blue eyes, it was almost a reflection of her own. An obvious discomfort – or was it contempt? – was settled in them.

"Via, I feel the children should get to know one another better without our interference."

Via nodded her approval and Ezalia told Yzak to entertain Fllay. Yzak offered his arm to Fllay and she took it, smiling like an elegant lady. Via wasn't sure what was passing through Fllay's mind but that was not her present concern.

As soon as the two entered through the double French doors leading to another room, Via spoke.

"Ezalia, I need to know about the truth behind Sigel's death. I know it wasn't an accident."

The silver haired woman studied her long time friend carefully as she sipped on her tea.

"Because you are my dear friend, I will tell you this: coming here was the wrong step to take, Via."


	5. Rebuilding the Empire

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gundam SEED/Destiny or any of its characters.

* * *

Throughout her entire life, Fllay was always very aware of her appearance and also very aware of the attention she received.

Almost every time a man gazed upon her figure, his eyes would be glazed with anything but pure intentions. Today was the first time she was receiving attention for the wrong reason.

Yzak's gaze was acute and would have made any girl faint of heart feel incredibly insecure. She kept her back to him as she admired the paintings on the wall, ignoring the obvious tense atmosphere he was trying to create.

"Ms. Clyne, your appreciation of fine art surprises me."

"Is it not normal to gaze upon abstract beauty?"

Fllay responded, noticing the indirect jest made by her candidate for marriage. Her blue eyes were kept on a particular painting depicting Hell. The gruesome images and vivid shades of brown and red were alluring although…

"I am curious as to why one would place such an image in this room, where strangers may happen upon it?"

They were in the middle of a tour of his home and currently were stationed in the vast study. A piano sat in the corner, behind the couches in the middle of the room meant for guests. A desk made of cherry wood was placed across the piano and next to the never ending bookshelves lined against the wall.

It seemed as though the study was used often as papers were strewn across the desk. Why on earth would someone want this painting to be in such a place?

"The world is not a pleasant place and there are many who live in their…naïve mindset. This serves as a reminder of the kind of world that is possible should proper defence not be put in place." He stepped next to her and admired the painting as well. "There are constant wars occurring more often than one would like. _Surely_ this is something Ms. Clyne would understand? No?"

There was a small smirk present on Yzak's _lovely_ face and he offered her his arm, intent on resuming the tour. Fllay, knowing that she had be political in her choice of words, accepted his arm and continued to walk with him.

"A strong military doesn't necessary mean peace – it could also mean destruction should the commanders become overcome by their aggressive nature and order their troops to commit atrocious acts."

"Perhaps. A strong military is without a doubt, the reason for success. The leaders of the world today are not so barbaric in their commands to have disorder in a society."

"I am afraid I do not agree with you, Mr. Joule. Perhaps we can agree to disagree."

"Or perhaps, Ms. Clyne, we can agree having experience and the proper education in these matters allows for a stronger opinion, no?"

Fllay held back her tongue and smiled sweetly. "Whatever brings you peace to your days, Mr. Joule."

He briefly glanced at her before noticing they had completed their tour and were currently in the garden. She quietly gasped and spun around once to absorb the beauty which surrounded her. The rosebushes in particular caught her attention and she walked over to them.

All in all, Yzak's opinion of this woman was low. She was able to maintain the flow of conversation but her lack of education in matters was obvious. There were times when he wanted to cuss or insult her based on what she said to him but as an individual in a prestigious position, he could not give in to his desires, no matter how much he wished for it.

Unfortunately, this was the woman his mother had her heart set on and refused to budge. Truthfully, she wouldn't look bad on his arm if they attended functions or events together – she was a beautiful woman. Her mannerisms were refined but the greatest weaknesses were the lack of education and her social status.

She came from an _impoverished_, upper class family. If they were to marry, she would take his name and if all went well, society would forget her background with time.

A plan formed in his mind and he was confident she would accept – they really were not each other's types, by far.

"Do you not have red roses, Mr. Joule?"

"They are on the other side of the garden, Ms. Clyne."

She smiled like a child and hurried towards the other side, passing the fountain and him. Before she was completely out of his grasp, he reached for her hand gently.

She looked back at him, obviously confused at the gesture. He pulled them both closer and reached into his breast pocket, retrieving a precious object.

"I have no intention of marriage, Ms. Clyne."

"This is no surprise."

"Your insight is almost shocking."

"Surely you couldn't have expected another answer."

"When it comes to the woman with…a background such as yours, sometimes it's difficult to think otherwise."

"It's a shame your manners are as fake as your smile, Yzak Joule."

"I do what I need to for my mother's sake."

"Oh wonderful, my mother's 'perfect' match for me is a man with an Oedipus complex."

He pulled her into him, surprising her, and cupped her cheek roughly.

"Speak nothing ill of my mother, Fllay Clyne, otherwise it will be your last regret."

"A threat? How typical of a military man – there is absolutely nothing but brutality in your nature. Let go of me."

They glared at each other for many moments before he released her.

"To reiterate, this is not an agreeable relation but it is what my mother desires. For her sake, I will do this."

"And what reason would I have to agree, Yzak Joule?"

No female had ever said his name in such a hateful tone before.

"This is a society you cannot survive in without befriending right people. There are consequences of disappearing without a word years ago and your mother will suffer much more than you siblings would."

Fllay kept her face devoid of emotions – yes, she was aware of the social backlash her entire family would receive. They were once the family above all families, the role models of city, the wealthiest of the upper class. Then Sigel Clyne died and Via rushed to the outskirts of the country immediately, leaving everything behind.

There were some awkward conversations with their nearest neighbours in the past few weeks and Fllay suspected not everything was going to be as smooth as Via hoped. There were many questions to answer and not one Clyne was happy to answer any, especially Via.

Yzak was insinuating he and his mother were allies to the Clynes. Since the idea of moving to the city came about, Via was very secretive about many things and spoke only to Lacus about a few of those things. Fllay felt disheartened at times but her mother did not trust her daughters and that was a fact.

There was only one way to survive in this society and Fllay needed to do her part for the sake of her family.

"Alright _Yzak_, I accept." He smirked, about to say something, and Fllay continued, "Let it be known this is will never be an engagement of true love. You are an arrogant and despicable man but I will do my part and keep an image of a fiancé that will satisfy society."

She didn't verbalize the thought of leaving him once she found someone she truly wanted to be with. That could be left alone for now and dealt with when the time arose.

The silver haired man took a moment to think about how well this was going. The slur on his character could be ignored for now. The only way to break this engagement was to have Fllay Clyne fall in love with another and leave him for her love. This would be a scandal in their society and Ezalia would break the engagement herself.

Perfect.

"This does not trouble me in any way, Ms. Clyne. Then, starting from this day forth, you are my fiancé."

He took her left hand and slipped a silver ring decorated with sapphire stones of various sizes, on her finger. Yzak then took her hand and kissed it, completely missing the obvious disgust of Fllay Clyne.

* * *

Via hated it but Cagalli couldn't help but love the noise of the croaking frogs.

Their new home was much too large – there were over fifteen bedrooms! – and empty. She felt desolate at times, too separated from her family. There was a bell in every single bedroom which alerted Todaka if any of the Clynes need anything but even then, all of this seemed ridiculous.

The croaks were plentiful and indicated life in the lake in their backyard. They were blessed to have been able to keep their old residence, yes, but the gardens were a wreck in comparison to what it once was.

Weeds had overtaken the flowerbeds and critters, small and large, had claimed the yard as their own. Via said the frogs in the lake meant it was dirty but Cagalli thought it normal as that was the habitat of most frogs – a lake.

It was her favourite part of the property. The gardens were fenced and in order to reach the shoreline of the lake, one had to unlock the white painted, wooden gate then walk for about two minutes. Although legally, it wasn't theirs, the Clynes claimed it as theirs since their residence was sole property this end of the lake. The nearest neighbour from the back was about two hectares away.

She was lucky her room offered a fantastic view of the lake as well as the sunrise plus a balcony furnished with a chair and table set, which she was currently using. Via and Lacus desired rooms closer to the staircase for some reason so Cagalli was allowed this bedroom.

A sudden wind blew past Cagalli and slammed close her bedroom door. Odd, she had it closed prior to seating herself outside. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Lacus looking at the door, taken by surprise by the loud slam.

"Lacus?"

"Ah, Cagalli. I'm sorry I came in without letting you know – you didn't seem to hear me knocking."

"That's fine Lacus. We shared a room for fourteen years, after all."

Lacus smiled sadly, "Yes, that's true."

She joined Cagalli on the balcony and sat on the available seat. The younger Clyne poured her sister tea before refilling her own cup.

"You always used to be scared of this room."

Cagalli looked at her sister, evidently confused. "What? Why?"

"We didn't really know. There was an aunt who visited you weren't really fond of and this was the room she was given for her use. Maybe because of that?"

"…I don't remember that at all. What else do you remember?"

"Almost everything before…before we had to move. I was old enough to remember – I was eleven."

"I'm only a year younger than you and I don't remember anything except for that lake."

Lacus chuckled. "That is where you would spend every possible moment. Father wasn't very pleased you would miss class to stay there."

Cagalli returned her attention to the lake, disheartened by her lack of memory of this old home. This was the place they all lived together as a _full_ family once upon a time. It was a shame she couldn't remember.

"You know Lacus, this house is painful to live in sometimes. Obviously I don't remember much….but that's almost worse. Father lived here with us; we were a complete family in this mansion. Yet…I walk halls and don't remember anything, don't remember the rooms where these millions of pictures mother has, were taken in."

This surprised Lacus. The woman looked at her younger sister, distraught at her situation. Out of all of the Clyne siblings, it was Cagalli who didn't leave much behind in the town– she had her job but that was it. She didn't have a lot of friends nor did she have a boyfriend. Instead, her time was devoted to her family.

Sometimes Via would worry but it seemed as though Cagalli was content and at the end of the day, that was enough. Lacus always did wonder why the blonde didn't interact as much as with the citizens on a deeper level but now was not the time to delve on those thoughts.

"Although you may not have memories of this home, Cagalli, do you at least remember our time as a family? Do you have memories of father?"

She nodded.

"Then isn't that what is most important? Homes change, people change but what we feel during those memories will never change."

Cagalli looked towards the darkening sky and softly grinned.

"…Thank you, Lacus."

The blond didn't have the heart to tell her older sister that there were only two memories of their father were clear in her mind. No, it wasn't even memories – it was two sentences that resounded clearly in her mind.

"_Protect…them, C-Cagalli…"_

She didn't remember when Siegel said that or why he sounded out of breath, all she knew was she was entrusted with a task for the years to come since that day. She occasionally suspected the only reason she knew what Siegel looked like was because of the pictures she saw of him throughout her childhood up until now.

She couldn't think about this anymore.

"I met the man mother wants me to marry, Lacus. Is that why you came to visit in the first place?"

"To say visit…"

"Oh Lacus, we are all spread out and don't see each other enough in a day. I have to say 'visit'."

"Hai, hai, Cagalli. How did you find him?"

The blonde thought about the awkward meeting earlier in the morning. Via had taken Fllay to see her marriage candidate, Yzak Joule, so she requested Todaka to be the guardian and facilitate the meeting process.

Cagalli had been trained for the last two weeks for this day by Todaka personally and honestly, she preferred him to be there instead of her mother. Although there was one person who did not like that: Ulen Hibiki.

The blonde man seemed incredibly intimidating to most but Cagalli was used to his type. There were various arrogant and egotistical people who frequented the dojo she worked at.

He was dressed as one would be when attending a wedding in their society. She recognized the brand of suit he wore down to the shoes. He came across as incredibly awkward in it. His son, Kira Hibiki, was even more awkward.

When Ulen learned Via would not be available, he scowled then quickly eased his face of any expressions. When Cagalli had entered the room, all the men stood and Kira had bowed after receiving a look from his father.

…Was that normal?

The conversations were obstinate with Ulen asking about what she did for a career, where she received her education, etc. Thank goodness her mother had sent her the local college in the town, where she studied world history for a few years.

When she said she was looking for work, Todaka had forbidden speaking about the dojo, Ulen offered her a position with an acquaintance of his. Cagalli had absolutely no intention of working but now she had committed to some extent.

The entire time, Kira barely spoke. It was as if he was waiting for his father to give permission. At the end, she learned he was a student of science, finishing his Master's degree and thesis. That was all she knew about him.

After both men left, Cagalli fell back onto the couch, relieved everything was over and frankly, felt her lessons were a waste of time. The only reason she agreed to them was because of Via's emotional blackmail. That woman could be incredibly crafty when she needed to be.

Todaka mentioned Ulen was fond of her and claiming himself as a person who knew these people of high society well, Cagalli took his word. She really was fond of Todaka – he was a genuinely nice person and a great friend in these troubling times.

"…Cagalli?"

She blinked, returning to the present time.

"Well, Lacus, I don't know much about him. His father mostly spoke – it's as if he was the marriage candidate. If mother was there, it might have been better."

"She was busy with Fllay and desired to see her childhood friend."

"I still don't understand how these appointments worked out but whatever. Maybe I'll ask Kira to coffee or something."

"Shouldn't he be the one to ask?"

Cagalli laughed. "With the way things are looking, it seems as though I'll have to initiate everything – oh so mature of you, Lacus!"

Her cheeks flushed when she realized her choice of words after Lacus started giggling like a little girl. It were moments such as these that Cagalli remembered her sister was a normal human being like anyone else, not the perfect daughter Via had moulded her to be.

"A-and what about you? When do you meet Athrun Zala?"

"The day after tomorrow…"

Cagalli noticed the change in her eyes, as if there was a huge burden resting on her shoulders. Usually she would say something but the secrecy between Lacus and Via had increased in the last few weeks. Lacus would come to her on her own time.

For now, she refilled her sister's cup and both watched the setting sun.

* * *

"Are you even listening to me?"

Dearka sighed and looked away from the television in order to lock eyes with his best friend.

Yzak had been ranting and rambling for over an hour now about his fiancé and how there was no time for these kinds of things. There was a rebellion in progress, there were soldiers to train, blah, blah.

He lost interest about half an hour ago. It was odd how Yzak spoke about this Clyne – first it was spiteful and then he would praise her for her beauty. When asked why he wasn't fond of her, it was due to the 'reputation' and 'education' aspects of the family.

To Dearka's knowledge, the Clynes had a formidable reputation. Once word had reached the years of other families in the city about the return of the Clynes, there were different whispers about wanting to meet and befriend them. There were also some rumours circulating about the sudden disappearance of the family many years ago.

Although, if people wanted to find them, all that needed to be done was file a police report or hire a private investigator. Because there was some evidence of a planned retreat from the city, not many bothered with them as competition to be the best among the upper class had begun.

The Zala family won that passive aggressive conflict a few years after the accidental death of Siegel Clyne.

As for the lack of education, Yzak had forgotten that the Elsman family were of the noveau-rich category. It was the stereotypical rags to riches story and caused much resentment for Tad Elsman. Thankfully, Tad's cheerful and upbeat personality kept people at bay.

"Yzak, the way I see it, you're engaged now. Whatever reason you agreed to it despite hating the broad, you're going to have to go through with it."

The silver haired man scowled.

"Saying nasty things about your fiancé is only going to give fodder to people to chew on. You know that. I still don't get why you said yes but I don't want to know either."

Dearka returned his attention to the talk show, hosted by the popular youngster, Auel Neider. There was a pun that was missed and Dearka sighed. He enjoyed this programme and having Yzak continue whining was taking the joy out of watching the show.

Then his phone alarm went off, indicating it was time to meet Miriallia Clyne – the older sister of Fllay Clyne. Dearka wasn't sure how meeting would go - because marriage was still something he was neutral about – but surely it couldn't be as bad as Yzak's forced engagement.

* * *

**Lily: **I'm super stoked to take this series to the finish line now that I know where I want to take it! Look out for the ending in about...4 months time? Should everything keep on schedule, that is.


	6. And Deeper We Go

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gundam SEED/Destiny or any of its characters. Nor do I own " The Unfinished Story" by Isisip. Her work is merely an inspiration. You can find her marvelous works on youtube ;)

* * *

The room Lacus chose also had a balcony, smaller than the one in Cagalli's room but sizable nonetheless. There was a constant fear in her mind which involved a thief forcefully entering the room and behaving in an atrocious manner with her.

She shivered and sipped her tea.

It was a fear she refused to share with anyone – one of the few facts about herself she wished to keep private. Privacy was a luxury for her, after all.

As the eldest, every action and choice she made would be scrutinized by her sisters subconsciously. They followed her example, willingly or not. Everything she did and said had to be thought of carefully. This designed an image of the perfect woman, one Via had a large part in.

So admitting to this fear would not be in good taste. Her mother would be greatly disappointed.

Via…

There had moments in the past few years in which the brunette behaved suspiciously. She was a perfectionist by nature and lately, she had been obsessive about marriage plans. A plan was set in motion to have all her daughters married to the most suitable candidates amongst the upper class citizens of the city.

The reason why Via rejected all those men from the village who wanted Lacus' hand in marriage had come to light. Her ambition would not allow for such relationships as there was a flaw with every candidate. At the time, Lacus hadn't minded since she wasn't ready for marriage despite being twenty-five.

Her life had been for her sisters – they needed guidance and Via could not do it herself. Lacus accepted responsibility for them and never once looked back.

So when Via's intention finally arose, Lacus was not as shocked as the others. Marriage was something she wanted in her life and she could understand why her mother would fret – Lacus was turning _twenty-six_ soon and Via herself married at twenty-three.

Maybe she thought all the men of quality would be taken soon.

Lacus hadn't doubted her mother's motives for the marriages in the beginning. Surely she was looking out for all of her daughters. While she hoped Via had the best intentions, she was beginning to doubt. Especially when she was prepared to have Stellar wedded at the same time as the others.

Stellar was still just a baby in Lacus' eyes and not mentally prepared for marriage. Ever since the accident which endangered her life and killed their father, she had developed much slower than others her age.

Lacus sighed and shivered; the night was getting too cold for her. She stood and carried her cup, setting it on the night table before preparing for sleep. The only problem was that sleep would not come easy to her this night as tomorrow was the day she was to meet her fiancé, Athrun Zala.

And if not with her sisters' engagements, she had significant doubts about this one.

* * *

The first words she ever spoke to him were in regards to his white Audi R8.

He had driven both himself and Tad to the Clyne household and pulled a fast turn, resulting in the car spinning around once before completely stopping. It was his style to impress, a trait Tad had passed in genetics.

She was leaning against the doorway, arms and ankles crossed. After stepping out of the car, Dearka took off his sunglasses and his heartbeat increased in pace.

Miriallia Clyne was a beautiful woman despite having such plain features. Was that even possible?

There wasn't a smile on her face and her outfit complemented her facial expression – she wore a knee length white denim skirt, a deep blue buttoned blouse and white ankle boots. Her outfit would be simple had she not worn a tie-dyed scarf around her neck in the narrow and triangle shaped style that was so popular nowadays.

He loved that scarf on her. With a smirk, he approached the woman, leaving behind his father to do whatever he was doing. He was always neutral about marriage but if it was to this fine lady in front of him, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

With grace that would make his dear friend, Athrun Zala, drop dead in his grave, Dearka greeted Miriallia Clyne.

"Hel-"

"Flashy." Miriallia interrupted with a raised brow, first glancing at the car then him. In that one moment, Dearka's confidence faltered.

"Uh, well uh, it's a new mo-del…"

"Mhm…" She stared at him for a good ten seconds. He blushed. She left both men outside with their butler, clearly not interested in them in any way. The butler's expression changed to one of fatigue then quickly regained his posture, greeting then inviting both men inside.

Although it was faint, there was a scolding voice from somewhere beyond the living room. Dearka looked to his father to see whether or not the voice was noticed by him and found the older man conversing with the butler, as if they were old friends.

"- and that was how Dearka came into the world! Although he wasn't attractive as soon he emerged from the womb, I understood that it was a test of my patience-"

And Dearka zoned out. If he was twelve, he'd still be embarrassed by his father's lack of decency.

The voices stopped and the two men were seated in the living room, which had the whitest couches Dearka had ever seen, and they waited patiently for the Clynes to attend to them.

Instead of two Clynes, only a middle aged woman, assumed to be the mother, came through the doors to entertain them. Clearly the younger Clyne was still annoyed at whatever it was he did…which he didn't think was anything. Perhaps he judged her personality according to her appearance too quickly.

The way it was right now, Miriallia seemed like a bitch. Not cool.

"Gentlemen, thank you for allowing the pleasure of your company this wonderful day."

"Via! Long time no see, gorgeous!"

Tad stood quickly and kissed both of Via's cheeks, causing her to chuckle. Dearka stood and kissed her hand, hearing a faint 'oh my!'.

"How do you do, Ms. Clyne? My name is Dearka Elsman." Both men waited for Via to sit before sitting themselves.

"Now there is etiquette long gone." Via commented then offered refreshments the butler set for them on the coffee table.

"We pride ourselves to be gentlemen, dear Via." Tad winked and accepted the coffee handed to him. The brunette chuckled. "And where would the young Miss. Clyne be? I've been waiting almost forever to meet her."

"I'm afraid she's feeling a bit…shy. She's sitting in the kitchen at the moment. Nothing I said convinced her to come out."

Via dryly chuckled and Dearka almost rolled his eyes. Obviously Miriallia was being difficult and silently commended Via for the cover-up attempt.

"Shyness is not a formidable enemy to Tad Elsman. I will speak to her myself."

Tad then rose and walked away, not caring for Via's panicked protests. He then came back, asking where the kitchen was since he walked into the washroom. Via laughed and directed him.

"Your father is quite the amiable man; he's never afraid to embarrass himself."

"He's a people person, couldn't live without them."

"Ah yes, always has been. I know quite a bit about your father but unfortunately, not much about you. I hear you're in the midst of attaining a Master's degree?"

Oh Tad…

"I was, but for the moment, my attention is on work. Dad has recently acquired some new clients and he prefers to have me handle those relationships. Between that and studies, relationship managing took priority. Eventually I'll return but for now, work has the most antecedence in my life."

"That is completely understandable, Dearka. You are a Relationships Manager, correct? I was an unofficial one during my time in the work field for our past company, Visasa, perhaps you've heard of it?"

If there was a dumb question, that would be it. Who _didn't_ know about the famous Visasa? It was created and developed by Sigel Clyne. It was a company which did everything right – the right product, the right employees, the right budget, and overall, the right system.

Siegel Clyne had modeled the company after the system of _zaibatsu_. There was the main holding company which created a product, toys for children, and then Sigel had created subsidiary companies in order to support the main one.

All parts needed for the product came from within these smaller companies and Visasa did not need local trading partners. It just needed a permit from the federal government to access raw materials for their product.

Visasa could be an asset as an ally or formidable as an enemy. It was difficult to create a partnership with them as they were completely independent. They had a near monopoly of the toy industry sector and had dominance over department stores in terms of their children's entertainment sections.

Unfortunately, the company nearly collapsed after the death of Sigel Clyne and it was taken over by another, less grandiose CEO.

Other companies could not adopt the _zaibatsu_ system so easily, especially those who came before Visasa. Partnerships were already in place and to create subsidiary companies within a holding company would ruin many.

Business would be taken away. Currently, business owners struggled to eliminate any other company which would even attempt this system again.

Dearka smiled at the woman, nodding in affirmation.

"Sigel had me handle our most important international partners. It was quite the challenge, especially after Miriallia was born. Then after Fllay and Stellar, it was near impossible to keep pace with the growth of the company as I chose to stay with my children at home."

Stellar? How many kids did she have? Dearka thought there were only three. He refrained from asking.

"I am sorry for the loss of Sigel Clyne. I can imagine the thrill you must have experienced during your time at Visasa, Ms. Clyne."

Before Via could answer, they heard a loud, masculine laugh, followed by a lovely, feminine one. All the negative thoughts he had about Miriallia disappeared and his heart quickened pace once again.

"Well, it seems your father _is_ well received by everyone."

* * *

His mind would not care for his surroundings nor any of the problems he currently faced.

What mattered was the creation of something beautiful, something passionate.

Orga would always see a woman descending deeper and deeper into a body of water, her hand outstretched towards him during the beginning of his rendition of "The Unfinished Story" by Isisip.

As the song continued, so did his search for her. The woman God intended for him. It was a never ending search for her – who was she? Where had she gone? Why were they separated? When would they meet again?

As the song came to a finish, _he _would be waiting near the lake, partially hidden by the tress. His eyes longed to know why his life came to an end…then the gunshot ended everything and Orga could only see blood.

After opening his eyes, his eyes settled on the large, three paned window overlooking Andras property. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the well kept gardens.

This was his favourite view in the Andras household – it kept him sane. It was what he missed most when left home to explore the world and himself. Orga had always expected to inherit this property and this was the view he wanted to share with that special somebody.

He then looked over the couch and found his fiancé sleeping. Ever since his mother, May Andras, set the expectation she had of him, Orga struggled with this predetermined engagement. Was Stellar Clyne the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with?

He imagined his life partner to be sophisticated, dutiful, intelligent, and engaged with reading. He did not know Stellar well enough to say she did not fit this criteria but it was hard to paint a picture in her mind with them enjoying life's surprises together.

"That was pretty."

He startled, realizing how deeply immersed he was in his thoughts. The young, blonde Clyne opened her eyes and smiled at him. She was lying on the couch with her small head comfortably resting on the pillow.

He had placed a blanket over her in the case the air conditioning went off again. Ever since they first met, Stellar had been visiting more frequently than expected, much to the pleasure of May.

"You have a fondness for music, Miss. Clyne?"

"Everyone does."

"I would disagree with that statement. There are people who wish to live their life in silence."

"Then they're silly people. Music is a necessary part of life. It helped me."

She smiled and walked over to him, placing her finger on a key, then another, then another. He cringed at the lack of harmony.

"Have you ever desired to learn?"

"Nope. Lacus and Miri like to play though. Lacus sings too."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, it's so."

Orga couldn't help but chuckle. He wondered what she meant by music helping her. It seemed like a private thought so he didn't inquire. Perhaps one day she'd share with him. Perhaps he'd share with her…

"Yo, bro. Sup Stellar."

"Sup, brother."

Orga sighed. It was a phrase Shani had taught Stellar, who was quite fond of it. They high fived with Shani smirking and Stellar seeming as though she didn't understand why to raise her hand and have it hit by Shani.

Shani fell back onto the couch and with one ear phone still his ear, started complaining about his day. Stellar looked around her surroundings, didn't find a place to sit, and then sat on Orga's knee. She leaned back against him and watched Shani speak.

Orga was shocked but did not show it. This was the most…intimate they had ever been. Usually he would talk and she would listen.

"This is what 'couples' do?"

"I…yes, yes it is."

"We're a couple?"

"I supposed we could call ourselves that – you are my fiancé afterall."

"Okay. I don't understand why couples do this."

"To feel close to one another."

Stellar thought about this for some time before replying. "So then we're close?"

"Physically, yes."

"There's more than one way?"

She looked up at him, her abnormally coloured pink eyes full of curiosity and confusion. He looked at her for some time, trying to convey the meaning to her through his eyes. She didn't understand.

"Yes, there is. Miss. Clyne, have you ever been in a relationship before…?" He hoped the question wasn't too rude.

"Nope. Cagalli said no boys allowed since they have bad intentions with me."

"I…see."

"You should call me Stellar. Shani calls me Stellar. Stellar is my name, not Miss. Clyne."

He chuckled and agreed.

Shani was completely engrossed in his stories that he was oblivious to the conversation between the two. Suddenly he realized it was time for him to meet his friends before a concert.

"I'll drop you off, Stellar."

Shani said. Orga noticed he had become quite attached to the blonde. Maybe a daughter was needed in the Andras family since he had calmed considerably since her visits, Orga noted. He nodded his thanks to Shani since he had a dinner arrangement with his mother's client that he was about to be late for.

Shani offered his arm to Stellar and she took it, grinning at him.

"Bye, Orga Andras. I will see you tomorrow."

"Oh, tomorrow I won't be here, Stellar."

She pouted. "Okay."

"Wanna come with me to the harbour instead?" Shani asked and Stellar nodded optimistically, her spirits lifted. Orga wished them a safe trip and a good time tomorrow.

"Another way to greet people is to say 'yo' instead of 'hello'. Shortens time."

…He'd have to talk to Shani later.

* * *

"Sigel was lucky to have a lover like you."

Tad stated, reaching for a cigarette.

"Tad, if you want to smoke, please do it outside. I don't agree with second hand smoke."

Tad stopped and turned over to look at his bedmate. Sharing a bed with Via Clyne was a desire he had for a very long time. Sure, she was older than him by two years and was more aged than his usual partners but this was it. He wanted her as his permanent mate.

Her features indicated fatigue and her body covered in those covers was incredibly attractive. Tad leaned over to kiss her. He then threw the covers off and went outside to his balcony to smoke.

Via watched as he didn't have a care for who saw his naked form. It had been a long time since she'd been with someone and it honestly wasn't too bad. She didn't have any feelings towards the man and this was the best way to take care of her physical needs as she put her plan of vengeance into action.

Those involved with killing her husband would pay dearly for what they did and not in the way expected. No, Via had a more creative solution in mind.

Reaching over towards the side table, she reached for her purse and pulled out her mini-photo album. In there she kept the pictures of those most important in her life, starting with the pictures of her girls.

The first image was of Stellar's, her beautiful baby girl. She didn't want to involve her in this mess but there wasn't a choice. Via couldn't rely her other daughters to protect her.

The second image was Cagalli's, the most masculine female amongst the six of them. Her interests were unrefined, in Via's opinion but it couldn't be helped. She was the only one out of the five who could talk about serious matters with her properly.

Miriallia, a dangerous flame near the paper of perfection. That rebellious attitude needed to be toned considerably before she married into Tad's family. Tad had mentioned Dearka had been a little different since meeting Miriallia…and Via had to take advantage quickly.

Fllay surprisingly agreed to the engagement quicker than expected. Ezalia, her best friend, invited her to work on the arrangements of the engagement party and they were meeting in two days to finalize everything with the input of Yzak and Fllay.

And Lacus…the forever obedient daughter. She had always been her father's daughter and when the time came, she assisted Via considerably with the girls, since she was fourteen when the incident occurred. There wasn't anything Lacus wouldn't do for the family and this would be Via's greatest benefit.

The last picture of her loved ones was of her perfect husband. She let a tear fall on the miniature image of their wedding day. Everything she was doing was for him. _Everything_.

She turned the page to the images of those men involved with the incident on December 15th, the last day of Sigel's life.

They would regret involving themselves with the Clyne family.

* * *

**Lily**: Snap. Wrote this all last night, I can't believe that happened. I'm on a roll~

Thank you to all the lovely reviews so far - they really make my day and help me improve this story in terms of characterization, pacing and plot! Thanks again :)


	7. Deviating From the Path

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Gundam SEED/Destiny or any of its characters.

* * *

"She's beautiful!"

Patrick Zala observed the average face woman obsess over other's photograph. He took note of her voice especially - the pitch, cadence and style of that melodic voice. This was her sole redeeming feature as her facial features were enough to make more than one joke amongst one's colleagues.

Her body wasn't too bad - her endowments would hint at a successful career in the red light district. All in all, this woman who was brought to him fit the role he needed played for the next lifetime. Surgery could fix every shortcoming in this woman.

Lacus Clyne, he noticed during the Zala-Clyne meeting a week ago, could potentially be a fearsome foe in the world of politics. She definitely took after her parents, which in his opinion, was problematic. Sigel Clyne was never one among his favoured and Via emitted a particular aura – whether it was negative or not, he wasn't sure.

Even if he was not fond of them, they were still the two most prominent figures in society and their support in his campaign was always important. That family had the influence Patrick himself wished to have one day as the government system Orb had was a democracy. Voting citizens were fond of the Clynes, despite them leaving for a significant amount of time.

Via never stopped making her appearances at charity events and this truly helped in securing the positive Clyne influence to this day.

Well, once he was elected as Prime Minister, he would change the current system to one where his family would solely rule for generations without the need of 'friends' such as the Clynes.

Power was everything in this world.

* * *

Cagalli really, _really_ regretted telling Ulen she desired a job. Her career path would be humanitarian in nature, not managing inventory.

She wasn't fully aware of what the Yamamoto's company did, honestly. Once Via heard of the opportunity Cagalli had, she pushed her to take the position for the time being. This astounded Cagalli.

Positions such as Inventory Manager would be 'beneath' the Clyne family standards, similar to how shopping in the flea market would be 'beneath' the family as well. But she didn't care too much for reputation when it came to these matters.

While they received a good percentage of profits made by their father's company, Visasa, Cagalli felt it was not enough. When they lived in the village, finances were always a stressor so the girls had taken jobs to satisfy their personal hobbies and interests.

It worked fairly well. The problem was when coming to this city, this horribly pricey city, there were more expenses than expected. For one, it didn't cross anyone's mind to how much groceries would be.

Via's strained expression when she saw the bill Todaka would bring home after shopping spoke louder than words to both Cagalli and Lacus. In the village, neighbours had passed along eggs their chickens laid or milk their cows produced for a fraction of the price in comparison to the city. Things like that kept their food bill manageable.

Their childhood home was not a cheap place to live so perhaps that is why Via wanted her to work…but even then Via was very, very strict about appearances despite their financial or family struggles. That would be something Cagalli would ask her about later in the evening.

Right now, she wanted to concentrate on the trinkets the merchants had available. There were super interesting things and what she liked most was a large bag with owls on either side of it. The brown scheme was pleasant to her eyes.

As the transaction occurred, she noted two men standing a few stalls away. One wore a military uniform, the insignia hinting towards leadership. What really pulled her attention to this man was his orange hair – it did not mesh well with the setting sun behind him. There was another man standing next to him, with hair an odd shade of blue. It almost sparkled in the light….and he was dressed for a gala, not for a casual day.

She wasn't the only one staring at their odd clothing choice for a flea market. The difference between them and her was that she stared the longest and caught the eyes of the orange haired man.

He smiled then walked towards her, leaving his companion behind.

"Good evening to you. I hope this flea market offers you spectacular deals." He said after slightly bowing his head in greeting.

Cagalli wished she was wearing a skirt or dress so curtsying wouldn't be awkward. But she wore denim shorts, a blank tank underneath a sheer long sleeved shirt. She half bowed in greeting, not entirely sure how their 'rankings' were – she was from the Clyne family and he was in the military. She probably should have spoke to Fllay more about her interaction with Joule.

"Flea markets are one of my favourite places. There are items common here that are rare elsewhere."

He chuckled and agreed. "I am Captain Heine Westenflussen of District Six. This flea market is one of the many tourist attractions this district has to offer. Would you happen to be a tourist?"

"My name is Cagalli and no, I recently moved to the city." She smiled.

"Well then, welcome to the city of Emerald, specifically District Six." He smiled and took her hand, kissing it. She blushed.

"Heine…"

"Ah, companion. Madam Cagalli, this is my good friend Athrun Zala."

Athrun and Cagalli exchanged greetings and his name seemed really familiar…but she didn't have time to ponder as the people who were still watching the now trio, exclaimed and starting inching their way towards them.

"Oh, my mistake, Athrun."

The blue haired man chuckled, "Nothing to worry about, Heine."

The two men went on either side of Cagalli, asked to be excused of their rudeness, linked arms with her and half carried her away from the crowd that was beginning to form. They turned multiple times and quickly to the point where Cagalli was unsure where she was.

More so, what confused her was _why_ this was happening.

"Sei and Nanbruete are not going to pleased you ran away from them."

"They'll find me, Heine, they always do."

"Who …? Also, it seems we outran everyone. Could we stop?" She honestly did not feel comfortable with being carried against her will.

"Of course, please accept my apologies once again. Sei and Nanbruete would be Athrun's bodyguards."

"…Bodyguards?"

Heine couldn't help but laugh. "You truly are new to this city, aren't you? This is Athrun Zala, son of highly esteemed politician, Patrick Zala."

Oh…_OH!_ Cagalli now remembered where she had heard his name before. This was Lacus' fiancé. Eventually they stopped walking and stopped in front of a sweet stall. Distracted, Cagalli immediately bought seven cream puffs for her family plus Todaka.

"Are you fond of sweets, Ms. Cagalli?" Athrun asked, slightly interested at the number bought. When still an actor, he was required to keep to a strict diet so the diet of normal citizens intrigued him.

"Everyone in my family is so whoever is near a sweet shop, they buy for everyone." Cagalli placed the brown paper bag full of cream puffs into her new bag as well as her current bag. She snipped any tags and tried the weight to see if it was heavy or not.

"It's easier this way." Cagalli replied to Athrun's inquisitive expression.

Heine chuckled. The woman he usually kept company with wouldn't dare do something like this in front of him or his colleagues. It was almost refreshing to see someone be so casual, especially after learning Athrun's and Heine's position in society.

"Mr. Zala!"

The trio looked over their shoulders and found two slightly older men rushing towards them. As Heine mentioned, they were not pleased.

"Sei, Nanbruete."

"I'm not sure if you remember the function of _bodyguards_ but generally how this works - " Sei started, clearly not caring to hide his annoyance.

"We are happy to see you safe, Mr. Zala." The darker skinned man interrupted and his accent peaked Cagalli's interest. It was harsh yet the flow of his speech was fascinating. She had never heard of such an accent before.

Athrun nodded to the both of them and apologized. He explained the situation and Sei sighed dramatically. He said something about Athrun's appearance not helping things in anyway.

Nanbruete, on the other hand, observed their surroundings for any sign of danger. The flea market attracted a wide range of people, not all who were friendly. He noticed Cagalli looking at him, slightly frowned then relaxed before he bowed, recognizing her.

"Ms. Clyne, it is an honour." Cagalli accepted his greeting and took it as an opening to inquire about his background.

"Ms….?" Started Heine.

"Clyne…?" Finished Athrun.

The two looked at her, at each other then returned their gaze to her.

Dear lord, they had been in a presence of a Clyne, thought Heine. Since he was stationed in the sixth district of the city, he rarely visited the heart of the city. The only occasion he visited the base was for the monthly meetings, which was increasing unfortunately due to the rebellion forces, with recently promoted Admiral Rau Le Creuset,

He had heard of the Clynes returning to the city – he was only a young boy when they had left the city. Whenever he imagined meeting one of the five sisters, he thought it would be at a grand party of some sort. She would grace him with her attention and they would dance the night away.

That's not to say this meeting was any less special. In fact, he couldn't help but laugh, having Cagalli stop her conversation with Nanbruete to look at him.

Athrun, on the other hand, was incredibly disappointed in himself for not recognizing his fiancée's sister. His father had given him a briefing of the Clyne family in preparation for his meeting with Lacus and Via Clyne.

"I'm sorry I didn't recognize you, Ms. Clyne." Said Athrun, hoping she wouldn't mind too much. And to his surprise, she raised an eyebrow.

"Why would I be offended? I didn't tell you my last name."

Cagalli Clyne…was definitely the opposite of Lacus. He hadn't even considered her to a citizen of the upper class unlike her sister, who emitted elegance just by _being_ Lacus. It was strange.

"I…suppose not…"

Heine, who had stopped laughing by now, returned his attention to the blonde woman in front of him.

"It truly is a pleasure, Ms. Clyne. What an unexpected meeting."

"Maybe it was meant to be," She smiled at the Captain once again, "And please, my name is Cagalli."

"There you are, Cagalli!"

All looked towards a stall where the feminine voice had come from, though due to the angles, only Cagalli could see the person. Heine watched as Cagalli's smile changed from pleasant to exhibit true happiness. From the side of the stall emerged a pink haired woman.

She wore a plain lilac dress, white pumps, a marvellous woven sun hat and in her hand she held a woven basket filled with various items. She noticed everyone else and looked quite surprised.

"Mr. Zala! What an expected place to meet once again. What a pleasure." She smiled.

Athrun walked over and kissed her hand. "The pleasure is always mine, Ms. Clyne."

This was Heine's lucky day – two Clynes in one day. The pink haired woman nodded her greetings to the bodyguards, who were keeping a distance from all four of them as they conversed.

"Come, I'll introduce you to my sister." Cagalli said to Heine, as she started to walk towards her sister.

"Alas, my lady, that would be my dear friend's duty as she is his fiancée." Heine winked at her and a tint of pink coloured her cheeks.

When they reached, Athrun introduced both Heine and Lacus to one another and Cagalli told Lacus how they all met.

"It was great to meet both of you today; perhaps you could visit us sometime. Oh and Athrun," Athrun looked to Cagalli. "I'm assuming you came here for political reasons such as low key campaigning. I would suggest wearing something much more casual so the citizens find you approachable, especially since you _are _in a flea market."

The blonde suggested and Lacus nodded. "Yes, I agree with Cagalli. You do look quite handsome today but outfits such as these tend to…signify the divide between social classes. Perhaps it's best not to remind others of their 'place' in society, so to speak."

Athrun hadn't thought twice about his dressing today as his entire life, he was told to dress properly otherwise people wouldn't' respect him. Thinking on the feedback, he could understand why dressing casually would be good for image purposes.

"Thank you, I appreciate the advice."

Both Clynes smiled and then bid their goodbyes. Athrun frowned.

"Did you two come to this district without an attendant? Would you prefer a ride to District One?"

Cagalli shook her head. "It takes the fun away from exploring but thank you for the offer."

"Are you sure? How would you be getting back?"

"Probably the bus then the tram, Todaka will be waiting for us at the station." Answered Cagalli and Lacus nodded in agreement.

"We've never taken a tram before, it's rather exciting." Said Lacus, excitement lacing her voice akin to a child eating ice cream for the first time.

Athrun wasn't sure what to say…"O-of course, please pass my greetings to your mother and sisters."

The Clynes waved their goodbyes and the men waved as well. They watched the women walk towards the setting sun and towards the bus loop, as common citizens would.

"Would you mind if we-"

"Ensured they return home? Of course Athrun – the last thing we'd need is having two lost Clynes in this particular district. One more over and that's where the danger begins with the rebels."

Heine narrowed his eyes at the thought of the violent people, who were beginning to have the idea of placing bombs at odd hours of the night. The situation was getting worse and worse as the elections drew nearer.

* * *

"This one?"

"No, it would be too fitted, doesn't seem appropriate."

"This?"

"The back is too open. I feel it will give the wrong message."

"_This_?"

Fllay, who was enjoying shopping for a dress for her engagement party, stopped browsing and looked at her crabby fiancé sternly.

"Stop being so impatient."

"Stop being so picky."

The redhead merely stared at him, sensing his determination to begin another argument. She knew he was forced to come with her as Via suddenly found interest in the layout of the invitation to the engagement party more enticing than following up with her promise with Fllay to shop.

They had an afternoon scheduled to be spent with Ezalia and Yzak as they went over the final preparations for the party that was going to be held in one month's time. Ezalia had passive aggressively pushed Yzak to accompany Fllay.

Instead of it being the wonderful pass time she wished for, it was almost a nightmare to be stuck solely with this man for the past hour. He obviously didn't care much about her outfit for the occasion.

It really did dampen her mood since Via had received the annual cheque from Visasa amounting to one million dollars, much more than the usual. The brunette gave Fllay a budget of one thousand dollars to spend on a dress, which had _never_ happened before.

But Yzak had to ruin everything.

"There's a reason I'm being picky, Yzak. You, of all people, should give a little more care to what I wear."

The silver haired man sighed and looked around the store.

"I don't like anything in here."

Fllay frowned. "Well, where else can we go? This is the fourth shop we've tried since you didn't like anything. And you say I'm being picky, all you do is complain."

They stared at each other for some time before Fllay returned to browse at the dresses on the mannequins. Unfortunately, there hadn't been a perfect dress. There were parts that she liked of every dress but nothing overall caught her eye. It was nearing nightfall and Yzak had told her he would drop her home soon since he had a meeting later tonight.

"What will you wear, Yzak?" It was almost a pointless question since he cared as much about fashion as she did mosquitoes. She was trying to make conversation since they had to come across as united when they finally confront society with their decision to marry.

"Probably my white tux. I was saving it for a special occasion and nothing more special than my own engagement."

Ignoring the sarcastic tone, Fllay resumed looking for a dress. She wasn't sure what colour would be best. White should be saved for the wedding day, and neutrals and dark colours weren't her favourite. Her dilemma must have been obvious since surprisingly, Yzak gave his input.

"I have a teal dress shirt, why don't you wear teal too? It would go with your hair colour."

He walked over to the section where very few teal maxi dresses were displayed amongst red cocktail dresses. Fllay watched him go through the selection, shooing away any assistance, and giggled like a little girl.

Matching outfits with her significant other for special occasion was something she always wanted to do. Once, she mentioned the idea to Miriallia and Lacus and while they had different ways of showing so, both did not think highly of the idea.

Then Fllay had a brilliant idea.

"Yzak!"

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, probably judging her outburst due to her 'lack of sophistication'.

"Let's go, I know what I want to do now."

"What…?" He asked, clearly skeptical since she took his arm and dragged him out the store. After explaining her 'irrational' behaviour, as he put it, Fllay demanded he find a coffee shop so she could work.

He picked the Fairmont's café and ordered them both Spanish coffees. Despite Yzak's terrible attitude, Fllay had to admit he had good taste. He watched as she sketched, keeping quiet, thank goodness.

Finally, she had a rough draft.

The advantage she had was her body type being an hourglass figure so her dress would have a slim silhouette. The part covering the bust would be a corset in style and just underneath, a silver belt would wrap around. The bottom flared out into a layered trumpet tail, the bottom being white lace and the rest of the dress would be teal in colour.

Her smile quickly dissolved when he took the drawing from her to examine it. Instead of lashing out, as she usually would, she was holding her breath. Waiting for his approval…? No way, she only cared what buys thought of her product, not people who couldn't' wear her designs.

"Not bad."

She was happy but did not show him. "Of course, I _do_ have experience with designing, after all. I figured a trumpet dress would suit my hourglass figure."

"Hourglass…so that means when you gain pounds, you'll look fat. I'll have one of our designers put this together – you wouldn't be able to afford it."

Up until this moment, only Cagalli could get her mad from such a happy state within seconds.

"It's _such_ a wonder why you haven't had a girlfriend up until now, and even then, it was something you couldn't do yourself. Pathetic."

Fllay snatched the sketch away, ignoring his narrowed eyes. Before he could retort, two men stopped by their table.

"Mr. Joule, how do you do?"

Looking up, Fllay found the most beautiful smile she had seen yet. This brown haired man's aura was calm in nature in comparison to that black haired man next to him, who seemed incredibly uncomfortable and hostile. Wait, he looked familiar…

"Good evening, Kira, Shinn. I hear your brother flew into Orb not too long ago."

"Don't remind me…"

Kira? Cagalli's to be fiancé?

"Oh, yes. This is Fllay Clyne, my fiancée. I'm sure you've met one of her sisters, Kira."

Shinn, the black haired one, gaped and Fllay remembered where she last saw him – at the village. Suddenly, alarm bells in her mind went off. He was the only one who saw how and where the Clynes lived and this kind of information could set the slope for ruin. These high class citizens were always looking for gossip material.

To her knowledge, Via had strung a web of lies as to their whereabouts in the past decade and some. This little boy was not going to be the cause of their downfall, not after Fllay sacrificed her happy ending to become engaged to Yzak Joule.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both. Are you friends of Yzak?"

"We know each other due to professional reasons more than anything. Shinn is the brother of my friend, Athrun Zala and Kira is the son of Ulen Hibiki, my mother's fellow medical academic."

"It's wonderful to finally meet my older sister's fiancé. You must come to our home more often." She smiled at Kira, suddenly feeling happier at his appearance.

"Please call me Kira." A light pink hue tinted his cheeks. "And I will try my best for more frequent visits."

Yzak watched the exchange between Kira and Fllay carefully. He needed a third player in his plan and Kira would do nicely. He was such a pushover and not fit to live amongst the richest families in Orb.

Too bad he happened to be Athrun's best friend and if Athrun had any inkling of what he was going to do, there would be yet another reason to quarrel. He and Athrun never really got along too well.

"Yzak, it will be time soon for your meeting. I suppose you wouldn't have time to take me home?"

"If you're gonna be late, I could drop Fllay home."

Shinn, who was neglected during the entire conversation, offered. He hoped to see Stellar again since the last time they met was abrupt in ending. She had seemed so sad…

Yzak and Kira were taken aback at Shinn's…kindness and Fllay almost jumped at how perfectly it was working to her advantage.

"That would be wonderful, Shinn. Thank you." Fllay smiled at him, gathered her things and kissed Yzak on the cheek before leaving, enjoying the sensation of being the source of his confusion.

She didn't think he would follow her outside, pin her against the wall where she waited for Shinn, or kiss her as if he was leaving her for a war he couldn't win. She dropped her bags and gave in, never before having someone kiss her so passionately.

Yzak pulled away, smirked and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Don't challenge me, Fllay Clyne. I always win."

As she watched him walk away, Fllay realized that in her life, she never hated herself like she did in this moment.

* * *

**A/N:** Again, thank you for all the reviews! I would love to reply to them in detail but I don't think that would be wise - I'd spoil the story. Also, there's been a lot of comments on pairings. In all honesty, there was a reason why I chose those particular pairings even when I originally wrote this story. All I will say for now is please don't dependent on the current pairings as the main focus for this story but the Clynes themselves ;)


	8. Two Steps Forward and One Back

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gundam SEED/Destiny or any of its characters.

* * *

"_Surely you understand the difficulties of our position, Shinn. We're trying to build a new life and people can't help but gossip."_

Fllay hung the last of her outfits, completing the reorganizing the closet. It was wonderful to have her own room and her own walk in closet – she thought the day would only come when marrying a rich man. It was funny how accurate her teenage dream turned out to be…or depressing.

"_I…get it. People like to nose into business they don't need to. You want them to mind their own business."_

Her mood had increased significantly during the ride home with Shinn Zala a week ago. It was funny how they shared a similar sibling rivalry except the motivation for such negative emotions were quite different. She and Cagalli hadn't fought since that time two months ago.

To fight, one usually had to converse with the other and so on. Since arriving to this city, the women barely saw one another aside from dinner. Via was very firm that no one could miss this mealtime unless for reasons of work or romance.

"_Exactly. If people realized we lived in a village, you can imagine what they would say. My sisters and I can handle it; my heart is for my younger sister, Stellar. She's so…reluctant to assimilate with this society so I can only imagine what would happen should others start interfering…"_

Speaking of, the Shinn boy made his reasons for dropping her home earlier in the week too obvious. Walking over to her window, Fllay found Stellar and Shinn entertaining themselves with the chess set Stellar had cleaned not too long ago. Funny, she hadn't let anyone else near it, saying the Clynes ignored her when they first moved.

Their reunion was almost cute, with Stellar taking his hand and leading him to the front lawn that day.

She watched them for awhile longer and was confident that the Zala boy wouldn't say a word. Her instinct was correct when thinking he had a crush on the youngest Clyne and while she felt a little guilty for using Shinn's feelings to her advantage, something had to be done to keep him quiet.

Every dinner started with Via stealthily asking whether or not people were inquiring about their past whereabouts. Fllay wasn't sure if anyone else had caught on. Sometimes she wished Via would be straightforward with her so they could think about how to deal with other families together instead of constantly playing a guessing game.

Her mother had too much pride to come forward with whatever she was trying to do, meaning it was time Fllay took initiative to understand Via Clyne's plan.

* * *

Miriallia resisted the urge to tell him everything she felt for him. She refrained from sharing her experiences since moving into the city, especially about the Elsman family. Her potential engagement was a development she neglected telling Tolle.

"Tolle…I love you."

"…I love you more, Miriallia."

"I know, Tolle, I know. My minutes are nearly finished but we'll talk soon, I promise."

"You're terrible at keeping promises but I'll believe you this time." He chuckled, influencing her chuckle as well.

"Bye…"

The pit in the depths of her being grew bigger, aching to be together with Tolle once again. When she was in the village, she was happy. Privacy was always there, unlike the city. Sure, the Clyne mansion was large enough so her sisters or mother didn't interfere with her daily routine but the tabloids did not know the meaning of respect.

She yearned to cry but couldn't, not with them lurking and wanting a glimpse of weakness.

The Clynes had been in town for one month already but the excitement did not die quickly. To further stroke the curiosity of normal city inhabitants, Fllay's engagement to one of the top five most irresistible bachelors had been announced with yesterday's issue of _The Daily Watch_, Emerald city's most reputable source for gossip and information.

This sparked interest in the Clyne family and capturing photographs of interest meant money to others. She would have to wait until there was not one around before letting her grief take over her entire being.

So for now, she walked and walked, not knowing where she ended up. It was mid afternoon and the city was still bustling with people partaking in their normal routine. Surprisingly, these people inspired her to be more welcoming of the gorgeous day.

She wasn't going to lose to her mother, she would return to Tolle eventually. It was all about timing as her love for him was too strong to forfeit.

But right now, it was time to place her sorrow behind and the best way to do so was to visit an art museum, in her opinion. Such a magnificent place was a perk of the city.

"Ms. Clyne…?"

The brunette looked over her shoulder and found the diva Dearka Elsman, who stared at her with slight surprise. True, she refrained from making new and positive judgements about him but it didn't matter. They didn't have a bright future ahead of them anyway.

"Mr. Elsman. What a surprise or did my mother tell you I would be in the area?"

She couldn't help the irritation in her voice, truly. Then guilt overtook her when seeing how dejected he looked; Via raised her to be a better person than that.

"…Maybe it's not so bad a thing. Do you know if there are any art museums in the area?"

His stupor at her complete change in attitude caused her to chuckle, pushing him to recover faster and point west. He explained it wasn't the largest museum in town, which was across the city, but it was quaint.

Miriallia liked quaint.

They walked and attempted conversing although it was slightly awkward. Dearka was still flustered at Miriallia's initial reaction but was happy enough at the change in heart. He wasn't sure what to say to her though; she didn't seem to be in a chatty mood. Then again, she never really was with him…

Eventually they reached the museum, where Daniel Neider was the curator. His son was the popular Auel Neider, who hosted a late night talk show.

"A friend of mine is the curator here; maybe he'll let us see some of the unfinished exhibits."

Finally, Miriallia smiled genuinely and his heart beat quickened again, similar to the first time they met and he heard her laugh.

"That would be wonderful!"

She briskly walked up the stairs and skipped into the museum. Dearka smiled, proud of his feat, whatever it was. Geez, this was too strange! Never before had he been so fond of someone without knowing the person completely.

And the worst part was that he didn't know _why_ he was fond of her. She gave him so much attitude when they first met, didn't properly speak with him and generally wasn't interested at all…was this what people meant when saying you just _know_ if a person is 'the one'…?

"Are you coming?"

Miriallia came back outside with a raised eyebrow. He snapped out of his inner monologue and rushed up the stairs as well. Unfortunately in his haste, he tripped on a stair and fell flat on his face.

"Are…you alright?"

…Why did he always embarrass himself in front of her?

She went down to him and crouched at his level as he inspected his nose for damage. Taking his cheeks between her fingers, Miriallia looked for any permanent damage and told him he had nothing to worry about aside from a minor cut.

"T-thanks…"

He tried ignoring the snickers and stares - and was that a camera he heard? - from others but it was overwhelming. Dearka Elsman _never_ embarrassed himself like this or stuttered in his life, _especially_ in front of a woman.

"You're a clumsy one, neh?"

Dearka blushed.

* * *

It was so difficult to choose!

All of them were so adorable, purring and playing with one another. Cagalli liked the black kitten with green eyes but then the white one with brown eyes attracted her attention. Both of them were so feisty!

"They were dropped off yesterday morning."

A smiling redhead, maybe in her late teens, joined Cagalli's side. She picked up a dark gray kitten, hugged it then placed it back in the cage.

"He's my personal favourite. My name is Meyrin. My boss just left so please let me know if you like any particular one to adopt."

"I'll definitely let you know, thank you."

The redhead smiled and walked back to the front to greet others to the animal shelter. Kira, who had joined her after work, came to join her in the back where the homeless animals were kept. It was noisy with their howls, barking, moaning and chirping.

"Ms. Clyne, were you serious about adopting a kitten?"

"Cagalli, _Cagalli_. How many times do I have to tell you, Kira?"

"Ah, sorry, Cagalli…"

The blonde frowned and returned her gaze to the litter in front of her. She and Kira had gotten into a minor argument about formality earlier in the morning. Cagalli didn't like being called Ms. Clyne since it didn't separate her from her family and honestly, it felt out of place to be called that. In the village, she was always known as merely Cagalli.

Kira Hibiki was a nice man and all but he was _way_ too polite. When he heard she would be coming to District Six to adopt a pet after her shift, he insisted to join her, saying it would be dangerous to travel during the evening.

The deadline for his thesis was approaching quickly – it was due in three days time. He really didn't have time to be roaming all over Emerald City with her.

"_Even so, Ms. Clyne, I can't let you go alone. I don't want to undermine your independence but for my peace of mind and also for your family's, please allow me to escort you there."_

He had said as a conclusion to their argument and she didn't bother after that. Instead she chose to welcome his company instead of giving into frustration. He had driven her in case she did end up adopting a pet and along the way, they conversed quite a bit.

For whatever reason, Cagalli immediately felt completely comfortable with him. This was the first they were spending time with just one another and although the time was short, Cagalli felt as though she could talk about anything with him. Well, _almost_ anything.

She wouldn't tell him the reason she wanted a kitten was because Heine Westenfluss had indirectly suggested adopting one. After the first time they met, she had come again for other business. Coincidently, they bumped into each other again.

He had excused himself from an officer, they were doing a perimeter check for a festival, and spent some time with her. He remarked it wasn't usual to see someone of such importance twice in one week. She told him she wasn't all that important, her family name apparently weighed more than her actual being.

Heine had laughed at that then he showed her the National Park in the area before sending a member of his team to escort her home since it was so late.

"_Pets provide human with unrivalled companionship. If I could, I would find homes for all the animals in the shelter before the end of this month."_

She softly smiled at the memory, thinking of him as a kind soul.

"Cagalli, you didn't answer."

She blinked, realizing Kira must have been talking to himself for the past few minutes.

"Ah, sorry Kira. I was thinking…which one would be best."

He grinned. "It's alright. It's quite thoughtful of you to adopt."

"These guys need a home and I want a pet, it makes sense to me. Why don't you get one too?"

"Oh…I couldn't possibly…"

Cagalli sighed at his sombre change of attitude. Instead she grabbed his arm and went to closer to the cage holding ten kittens. She spotted two sleeping next to one another. One had black fur with a white belly and golden eyes and the other was a tabby with brown eyes. They were _adorable_!

"Kira, let's get them!"

She pointed at them with a smile. The tabby slightly opened its eyes and meowed. Kira merely blinked and looked away, muttering something under his breath.

"Oh come on Kira, Mr. Hibiki seems to be always indulged in his work and it's only you and him who live in that big house. Why not get a companion and fill that big, empty Hibiki manor?"

"I-I don't know…"

Cagalli laughed and called for Meyrin.

"We'd like these two please!"

* * *

"_This is what you had to do…" Sigel's eyes widened, not expecting this secret._

"_Sigel…please, please don't judge me for what's been done. I had to do it for you and for our family."_

The sunset emitted its orange rays upon the Clyne residence, illuminating the chess pieces located on their front yard. Stellar and her friend, Shinn, were 'playing' yet again. They were the same age but every time they were together, they looked like children.

Via smiled, attempting to distract herself from the echoes of the memories of this study, where Sigel and her had their worst fight. She watched them from her desk in the study which overlooked the front part of the property.

At the top of their 40 yard long driveway was parked Shinn Zala's blue Fiat…and it made the brunette curious about the relationship between the family and their youngest son if they allowed him to have such an…ordinary vehicle.

It was his fifth time coming to the Clyne residence. She wished her daughters' actual fiancés visited as frequently as Shinn.

_Sigel glanced at her rounded belly, one which made clear of the life form growing within then looked away, choosing to gaze upon the chess pieces on the front lawn. _

"Madam, your tea." Todaka placed the saucer and tea cup on the desk before making his leave.

"Todaka…will you stay with us until the end?" She asked as she walked towards the window overlooking the lawn.

"It has been my intention from the beginning, Madam." She could see his reflection on the window as he bowed and left, aware that continuing this conversation when everyone was home was most unwise.

"_You loved this baby before you knew, why can't you love it now? None of this is the baby's fault!" Via screamed, reaching her limits of frustration._

The brunette softly smiled, pleased there was one true ally of hers left in this terrible world.

She continued watching the two become children in the other's company and thought of the potential danger Shinn Zala brought to her family, more importantly her plan. The Zalas were not to be trusted.

He had been in the village. Via knew but avoided him completely, ensuring their paths did not meet. Unfortunately, Stellar had forged a friendship with this boy during their time in the village and she only learned of it recently, when Fllay introduced them earlier in the week.

"Mother, may I join you?"

Speak of the devil, "Of course, darling."

The redhead handed her the tea Todaka had made and she sipped her own peach tea. Fllay had an affinity to artificial flavours and quite the odd ones at that.

"Aren't they cute, mother?"

Via chuckled, "You're only a year older than Stellar, Fllay yet you sound like a mother praising her children."

"And what a difference a year makes." Fllay sipped her tea. "I told him it wouldn't be pleasant for Stellar if people learned about our years in the village."

Via glanced at Fllay from the corner of her eye before returning her gaze to the scenery outside. For a brief moment, she saw a shadow of a younger, more energetic Via Clyne. Perhaps it was why they got along best – they shared the same ambition.

"Rumours and gossip usually ruin families, especially ones in our situation, wouldn't you agree, mother?"

"_You're asking me to accept another man's child, Via. This is no easy task."_

"Yes, such things can be a nuisance. And as my daughter, these rumours and gossip wouldn't be given a chance to revolve around your engagement, correct?" Via sipped her tea.

Yzak Joule was a very resilient man, very befitting for him to build a career in the military. He was ambitious as well, raising ranks quicker than others his own age. On the other side, out of all the Clyne daughters, Fllay was the strongest personality when it came to ambition. They seemed fit for one another.

It was no surprise the reason both of them agreed to the engagement was political in nature, without any feelings or affections involved. Fllay knew when to utilize her resources and unfortunately, so did Yzak. The man had a slight attitude towards her family and his farce did not blind Via from his true feelings.

Fllay must not stray from him. Covering up scandals took energy and time the brunette did not have at her disposal. The one from decades ago, the fight which broke the solid trust between Siegel and Via, was difficult to forget, especially since it had manifested into a young woman in her twenties at present time.

"You think so low of me, mother. Please give me some credit – I think I've earned it, no?"

Via couldn't help but chuckle, avoiding answering the questioning tone.

"Come darling, it's time for dinner."

As they made their way down to the dining room, the two spoke about Yzak and the upcoming engagement party. Now there was a budget for it from the Clyne side – it was extremely tricky to avoid Ezalia's constant questioning of the budget and how each side was going to contribute.

Soon her girls assembled and they were seated. They were served by Todaka and a new maid Via hired and soon enough, the Clyne women ate and conversed.

Via wasn't in the mood to speak much and chose to listen to the conversations between her daughters and was especially amused by Miriallia's encounter with Dearka. She didn't know he was clumsy, if anything, she thought Dearka was the stereotypical playboy. He was voted to be one of the top five bachelors of the city, after all.

"…and a Captain named Heine Westenfluss. He was quite charming." Lacus said to Stellar. As Lacus continued to fill in Stellar about events of the earlier week, Via noticed the faint blush strewn across Cagalli's cheeks from the corner of her eye.

"_Seigel…I love you but my children will always be my first priority. If you cannot love this child then don't, but I will love every child of mine equally and they will be the pride of this family!"_

The brunette frowned, not fond of what this conversation was alluding to. She had told the girls who they were to marry and there would be no changes to the plan, no matter what. There would be no rumours, gossip or scandal about the Clyne family, not this time.

Unfortunately, Fllay spotted Cagalli blushing as well.

* * *

**Lily**: Well, I didn't see a lot of this coming, surprisingly enough. I think I understand when authors and writers say, 'the characters begin moving on their own', it actually happens. I know what's to happen in the end, the journey there is something that always deviates.

I realized that I've been neglecting Miriallia quite a bit and that's because her arc will come in later chapters. Right now, the focus is on others. It's almost awkward writing about Dearka and Miri at the point they are at the moment.

As always, thank you for your reviews. I've been trying to reply to most but for those I cannot reply to because of anonymous reasonings, your reviews are appreciated as well! I'm always happy to receive constructive criticism so if there's a mistake or an idea that hasn't been developed properly, then by all means, let me know. Cheers, everyone!


	9. In Too Deep

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Gundam SEED or any of its characters. All characters not mentioned in SEED are my original creations.

* * *

Today was a day of discretion. From the excuse she gave to her daughters for leaving town and to the clothes she wore, Via Clyne knew not a day when she was so determined to be hidden from society. Todaka, the only man she ever trusted after Sigel's death, accompanied her. If anyone was to recognize her, the explanation why they ventured to the countryside was ingrained onto both of them.

Via Clyne was considering a charity for the children unable to achieve an education, basic and post- secondary, because of financial factors. Considering her background, it was believable.

Although the chance of bumping into someone from Emerald City was low, it was still possible. The problem she was currently having was avoiding any of the villagers she had known for the past nine years. It was hard to imagine she would return to this place but circumstances pushed her to this point.

Miriallia was getting out of hand and Via thought about their argument, which had quickly escalated into a fight...

_"Mother, what you did today was unbelievable!" _

_Via, calculating quarterly financial statements for Visasa, looked up from her desk with a raised brow. It really wasn't a good time for this, not when Charlie requested her assistance with a potential embezzlement case. _

_"And what have I done?" _

_"I asked to be left alone and you sent Dearka to fetch me!" _

_"He merely called and asked for you. I had no expectations for him to 'fetch' you." _

_Miriallia screamed in frustration, attracting the attention of young Stellar Clyne, who poked her head in the study. _

_"I hate this city and everything about it! I hate what you've become! I don't know what you're trying to do, first setting up husbands for us then expecting us to go through with it. Didn't it occur to you that these families might just be attracted to us for physical reasons?! I mean, what else do we have? Money?" _

_She scoffed. Via's temper rose. _

_"Do not scream at me, Miriallia. What I do is always beneficial to all five of you. The world is not a pleasant place and none of you have the sense to see it!" _

_"And who's fault is that? You kept us in the dark... if father were still alive, you would've been a better person. Instead, you put us through this terrible path without our consent, I had a boyfriend! I love Tolle and your opinion does not matter anymore - I will go back to him!"_

_With a last scowl, Miriallia left the study and Stellar made way for her, before joining Via in the study. _

_"Are you sad, mom?" _

_The youngest asked, her pink eyes full of concern. She sat on the floor and laid her head on Via's lap. Via stroked her hair. _

_"No, darling, just a little...hurt. Miri isn't seeing the big picture." _

_Stellar frowned. "Miri was a nicer sister before, now she spazzes all the time. I don't like her anymore. She wouldn't let me borrow her blue dress yesterday." _

_Via couldn't help but chuckle at Stellar's shallow tendencies which made an appearance time to time. "Don't say that, Stellar. Miri is having a very hard time adjusting to this lifestyle and this city so she comes across angry at us." _

_"She called me a doormat." _

_"That wasn't right of her and Miri will understand that was wrong. She will apologize eventually and I hope you'll forgive her, she is your sister after all." _

_Stellar looked up at Via, curious. "So will you forgive her because she's your daughter?" _

"...Madame."

Via blinked her thoughts away and returned her attention to Todaka, apologizing for zoning out. "I do not mind, Madame. We have arrived and from here, I will stand guard and alert you of any threats."

Via smiled and thanked him – his military habits would never leave him. Indeed, they were finally here: the village daycare. It was eleven a.m., meaning parents wouldn't be getting their children for another hour or so. She entered the building and searched for the woman who brought her into this world, her mother, Elizabeth Walker.

And there she was, sitting in the courtyard and drinking her coffee, supervising toddlers playing with one another.

"Mother."

The sixty-nine year old woman, emitting the elegance of royalty, watched her approach. There were no hugs or kisses on the cheeks of a happy reunion, merely the silence of judgement from both sides.

They last saw one another six years ago, when Caridad Yamato, her younger sister, visited. Elizabeth hadn't seemed to change very much since then as she retained the appearance of a healthy, fifty-five year old woman. The only significant difference would be that her pink hair had dulled even more. Her blue eyes held the same intensity as ever.

"Via. Risking your precious reputation to see me could only mean something is going terribly."

"You always gave the perfect advise."

"Always indeed. It's too bad you don't listen too well, dearie."

"My girls-"

"Are getting out of hand? What else did you expect with the lot you birthed?" Via frowned at Elizabeth's tone. "Who's giving you enough headaches to come see me?"

"...Miriallia."

Elizabeth laughed loud and hard. "My golden grandchild. It's too bad I can't tell her upfront how precious she is to me."

"It was necessary."

"Yes, it was necessary to separate a grandmother from her grandchildren to sever any ties to Via _Walker_."

Via clenched her hand hidden under the table into a fist, fighting the urge to begin this tiresome argument. Elizabeth sipped her tea and watched Via from the corner of her eyes but she was not going to give in.

"I came here for advise in regards to Miriallia, not to continue meaningless arguments."

Elizabeth watched her for some time before agreeing. "Alright then. I say let Miriallia do what she wishes."

The brunette's eyes widened. "What? No! She wants to come back here and stay with that boy, Tolle."

"Who's not a bad kid. Remember, Via, Miriallia is very much like you."

She blinked then looked away, "She and I are different..."

Elizabeth laughed again. "In the name of Haumea, I swear you two are exactly the same - rebellious to the bone."

"I rebelled against your selfish desires, mother! It's not fair to label me as a rebellious personality!"

The elderly woman's smirk slowly disintegrated and she sighed, a wistful look in her now dulled blue eyes. "And look where it got me, Via. Let Miriallia go or you'll lose her as a daughter. Does this sound familiar?"

"...It was your fault, mother. You pushed me towards Sigel, I didn't have a say."

"Oh Via, Via. Why would you want the same for your daughters if you understand the hatred of losing your free will?"

"Then you admit the wrong you did?"

Via's tone was scornful but at this moment, there wasn't any love felt for her mother, the woman who told her their family was nothing without power and wealth.

"...I am merely telling you another route to take, Via. And if I remember correctly, you made an enjoyable life for yourself with Sigel, bless his soul."

All of a sudden, Via felt tired. These engagements were a result of her relationship management skills. Since the day she departed from Emerald City after Sigel's death, she had kept in touch with these families, not wanting them to forget the Clyne name.

They were once a formidable family and Via would have that once again. She had lived the life of poverty and that was a life her children did not deserve. Not because of a covered up crime.

Elizabeth, who used the moments of silence to watch the toddlers, returned her gaze on her daughter. This woman, this well meaning but misguided woman, was lost. Sigel was her anchor, which the reason she was fond of him. As always, a mother's care settled into Elizabeth's heart. It was time they spoke of more pleasant things.

"Tell me, how are my grandchildren?"

A smile flitted across Via's face and she watched the toddlers play.

"All of them have become beautiful young women. Lacus took after you, in appearance and grace although your personality is alike to Fllay's. I wonder if that's because you allowed her to attend the ladies lunches with you."

Elizabeth smirked, recalling her two year old, redheaded granddaughter who entertained herself by mimicking the mannerisms of the older ladies. That was when the wives gossiped about others and assisted one another with political situations in the household.

"Stellar's intellect seems to be improving but she still has her odd habits. I placed her with the Andras so she would be out of the way – it's hard for her to understand the complexity of the society. That family is still so removed from everything…Cagalli is the same as always although I've noticed she's become a bit more feminine."

"Oh? Has she taken to her fiancé enough to change herself?"

Via hesitated and Elizabeth understood.

"Who's the young man?"

"...His name is Heine Westenflussen." Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, silently asking for more information. "He's a Captain in the military, stationed in one of the outer districts."

The older woman couldn't help but laugh. "How adorable, Cagalli was never one to show interest in a boy. I thought she would be a lesbian and marry a woman, until this whole engagement business. Military men aren't bad, I'm sure you've noticed with Todaka. Is this Heine attractive?"

"Mother..."

"This little love triangle – ah! To be young! It reminds me of you, Sigel and Ulen - Sigel was the better choice, in my opinion. How is Ulen now?"

"Alright, I suppose."

"You haven't seen him? How rude, Via, he was a childhood friend."

"Was, mother, was. Let's _not_ speak of it."

"Yes, yes." Via smiled sadly and looked away, the memories of her youth running through her mind.

"...You came for something else, Via."

The brunette looked at her mother sadly and excused herself, saying she had delayed the return trip home. She gathered her things and walked away.

"Via, we have had many disagreements in the past and we've fought. But despite all of this, there is always a place for you here, always. Come back to me, bring my grandchildren back to me. We can be a complete family once again." Elizabeth called to her, already knowing the path her eldest daughter chose.

The brunette stopped walking and took deep breath before turning, tears in her eyes. "It's too late, mother. I'm in too deep."

* * *

"Madame, are you sure you want to go over these financial statements now?" Todaka asked Via, who was watching the sunset from the train compartment window. She blinked and returned her attention to her butler and current business assistant.

"Yes, it's better to get them out of the way. After the disagreement with Miriallia, I wasn't able to complete them."

"As you wish. Another matter, madam. While you were visiting with Ms. Walker, a young female by the name of Lunamaria Hawke called. She requested an interview and suggested a possible photo shoot for Ms. Fllay Clyne and Mr. Yzak Joule."

Via frowned.

"Lunamaria Hawke is a writer who appeals to the younger generation. She is titled a 'social journalist' for _The Daily Watch_." The brunette thought for a moment before giving her consent.

"Please let Ezalia know and set both for the same day. We'll have her over on Saturday."

It was time for Emerald City to learn about the Clynes.

* * *

**A/N**: This is probably my shortest chapter yet. Parent-children relationships can be very complicated, eh? Thanks for all the reviews, as always! They make me, like any other writer on this site, happy :)

Also, I'm looking for a beta reader who is brutally honest with grammar, characterization and pacing. If you are up to it or know of anyone who is, please PM me as soon as possible!


	10. Close to You

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Gundam SEED/Destiny or any of its songs, or characters nor do I own 'Close to You' by The Carpenters. I do own all the original characters written throughout this fiction.

* * *

"_In this quiet night, I'm waiting for you,"_

Under the light of the crescent moon, the garden shone. The roses, tulips and pink orchids were in full bloom yet the lilacs hadn't matured yet. It had warranted Lacus to sing her favourite composition.

"_During that time, your smile has faded away,"_

As she become lost in her memories, reality became a thing of unimportance. She hadn't noticed the volume in which she sang, which caught the attention of two Zala men. The one closest to her, in the garden, was attempting to become immersed in _Dracula_. It was mandatory reading for his film studies class for completion of his final paper.

Even though the due date was dangerously close, Shinn always sought a distraction. This singing woman offered it to him.

"_Now that a little time has passed,"_

Athrun Zala, fatigued from the appearances made at various charities, was notified of Lacus' visit by Mwu, the butler. After thanking him, he walked towards the gardens, loosening the cuffs of his dress shirt. While the campaign for Patrick Zala was going better than expected, it was chaos trying to finish all the planned tasks within a month and a half. Election Day would then be upon them.

Unfortunately, he had neglected his fiancée in the process. The last time he saw her was due to coincidence and Heine had lectured him for it. In the soldier's opinion, partners should not be neglected otherwise they would find comfort in the arms of another.

Athrun hoped Lacus wouldn't do this – it would be a scandal the opposition would need to detract positive attention from them, especially since Patrick finally decided to announce their engagement at the end of the week.

"_Fond memories begin to emerge."_

On the other side of the garden, Shinn followed the voice, annoyed at the size of the garden and the time it took him to reach her. Finally, he spotted a pink haired woman in a blue dress, singing to the lilacs. That was odd.

"_At the place where stars fall,"_

As Athrun neared the gardens, a quiet voice resonated throughout the back end of the manor and he was shocked, unaware Lacus Clyne had the talent capacity to sing. Strangely, it reminded him of the times his mother would spend with him and Shinn when they were younger.

"_I'm always wishing for your laughter,"_

Shinn sat cross legged on the grass, propped his elbows on his knees and placed his chin on a hand. She was a weird woman, he thought. Who was she? She didn't look like any of the employees nor was he informed of anyone visiting…

Unless they forgot to tell him again. There were too many times everyone in this house forgot about his existence. He frowned and it deepened when he saw his older brother, Athrun, walk through the doors and into the garden.

"_Even though we're apart now,_

_We can meet again, right?"_

At the words of this woman, memories of Stellar flooded his mind – the way she smiled, talked and listened to every word she said.

Shinn blushed but when his perfect brother kissed the woman on the cheek, surprising her to silence, he gagged.

"My apologies, Ms. Clyne, it wasn't my intention to startle you." Athrun said.

"No, no, Athrun, it was my fault for losing sight of my surroundings." She responded

Clyne? Stellar's sister? Exactly how many sisters did Stellar have? If he remembered correctly, there was Fllay, a blonde one who didn't seem to like him much from the village, and now this pink haired one. What was her name?

"Please, call me Lacus. Ms. Clyne seems much too formal."

Shinn watched as Athrun grinned and noticed he was acting too energetic, similar to the times when trying to hide something. Also, it was kind of late. He wondered why she would visit at this time.

"Of course. What brings you here this evening?" Athrun asked.

"Oh, Mr. Zala wanted to see me but it seems he is quite busy now." Lacus answered.

Athrun frowned and Shinn raised an eyebrow, thinking it was rude of his dad to do that. It was nearing nine in the evening. This campaign business was making him more obsessed with work than usual and that was clear through this, making someone come here only to shoo them away after.

"I apologize for my father's rudeness."

For once, Shinn agreed with his brother. It was then he realized that technically, he was intruding on a private conversation. There was a bush about a foot away…if he lunged, he could get away from these two stealthily.

"Ara, you must be Shinn! Stellar speaks about you all the time."

Damn.

Shinn looked at her, feeling sheepish for being caught listening but happy Stellar mentioned him often. With whatever dignity he could muster, he rose. Lacus walked towards him, looking through her purse and pulling out a cookie.

"Would Mr. Shinn like a cookie?"

Shinn stared at it, his elated feelings disintegrated and instead, felt a bit offended. "Um, I'm not a dog…"

"Oh! I didn't mean to infer you as a canine! Stellar likes cookies so I assumed…well, that was wrong of me to do."

"Don't worry about it. Goodnight."

He walked away towards the house, leaving the two to talk about whatever and not realizing he took the cookie from her.

Athrun chuckled at his brother's antics. Sometimes he was too cute for a young man his age.

"I hope he wasn't offended." Lacus wondered, not too pleased with herself.

"Please don't worry. He just comes across like that most of the time."

Lacus softly smiled at Athrun's reassurance. She then noticed the lines of exhaustion plaguing him and realized she should go home. It was getting late anyway.

"Please excuse me, I didn't mean to intrude on you this late. I'm sure you would like to rest."

"Nonsense."

"Not at all, Athrun. Mother mentioned both yourself and Representative Zala are hosting a fundraising gala tomorrow night. Rest is important right now."

Athrun sighed, knowing that oddly familiar, determined attitude wasn't going to allow leniency and forgetting about that charity function. So he decided against fighting it. Instead, he posed a question.

"This is last minute notice, but would you allow me the pleasure of keeping me company during the gala?"

Lacus, at first taken aback, smiled and agreed. "It would be a pleasure, Athrun."

And far above the gardens, from the third floor window of the study, Patrick Zala watched Lacus Clyne.

* * *

Shani was a twenty-three year old man who was still attending university courses. He had significant problems with authority when it concerned their mother and a slight problem with drugs. It wasn't abuse yet and hopefully never would be.

Despite being what could be considered an 'emo' because of dressing and behaviours, Orga was in disbelief at Shani's childish nature after befriending Stellar Clyne - did they truly think he wouldn't notice them following him down the streets?

Both of them were dressed in all black – Orga suspected Shani had bought the black attire consisting of a trench coat, pumps, sunglasses and a fedora for Stellar- and following too closely.

They would duck behind cars or signs whenever Orga casually glanced over his shoulder. He sighed then ignored them for the duration of journey to the police station. Instead, he focused on his task – if his mother had any inkling as to what he was doing, she would be less than pleased.

But too many days had passed since the incident and his psychological clearance to return to his career as a detective. The nagging feeling, the one which reminded him constantly that his place was with the police force, did not leave. Even though his last case ended on a terrible note, Orga desired to return.

The guilt of murdering a man was still prominent within as it haunted his dreams but what also lingered was his strong affections for Natarle. Even an engagement to Stellar Clyne couldn't hinder them as much as May Andras wished it to.

The times they spent as partners flashed through his mind but she had rejected his feelings so long ago. He tried to erase those memories, even giving them less importance but that woman he always saw in the lake in his dreams, it was always Natarle.

And now here he was, standing at the doorway of the station and there she was, briefing a few officers in the back of the room.

_/Why do birds suddenly appear, _

_When you're near?/_

That blue haired woman was focused to a level beyond any of the officers here could muster. Orga grinned and allowed himself in her office, waiting for her to complete whatever profile she was giving in place of their Chief Superintendent of the district.

It was a shame work was the only thing worth her time.

Natarle, on the other hand, didn't think of this as shame but as honor. She knew her ancestors would be proud of the reputation she secured for the family due to her objective mindset. Unfortunately, this mindset wavered when spotting Orga Andras sitting in her office.

This was not needed, not now. There was a madman loose in the city and her mind did not need _this_ as well. Orga Andras had become a changed man in the last few years after that incident.

That was when he left the department…and her. It was the first time she ever, dare she think it?, _loved_ a man. He was her very first heartbreak. And now, with a steady voice, she spoke.

"Orga Andras, who admitted you to my office?"

"You know how it is, madam, no one questions my authority." He said and winked. Only around her did his façade of a gentleman begin to falter.

"Your authority here ended some time ago." She stated coldly.

"Chief never gave me a burn notice so technically, I'm still employed." He countered.

Natarle almost cursed their Chief aloud for her emotional tendencies. It was such a weakness.

"I have work of an urgent nature to do, so unless your business here will only take five seconds of my time, get out." She said, placing the files in her hand on the desk.

"So cold, Natarle…" He rose and towered over her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Not a word was exchanged yet she rejected him again by stepping away and turning her back to him with crossed arms.

Regret settled in his eyes and he walked away.

_/Just like me,_

_They long to be,_

_Close to you/_

* * *

After exchanging pleasant greetings with Via & Cagalli Clyne, along with explaining how he hadn`t seen Fllay in five days to passively retort against Via`s hidden surprise at his visit, Yzak was shown to the parlor by Todaka.

It was a surprisingly old fashioned room in comparison to the modernized layout of manor. The parlour was obviously in the back corner of the home as there was one bay window which overlooked the lake in the backyard, beyond the gardens below and a circle top window to the right of it. Both were covered by pleated and long, deep red drapes.

The chandelier and golden lamps, which were placed on tables around the room, pleased his eye as did the colour scheme. As he admired the high ceilings and attempted identifying the painting on it, Fllay entered the room.

Today she was dressed much more casually, in a long sleeved purple blouse, denim shorts and white flats, than the time she visited their home not too long ago.

"Mr. Joule, what brings you here?"

"No greeting, Ms. Clyne? I thought the Clynes were to be an example of propriety to the common folk."

"It would be a waste of our time to exchange greetings, considering you wouldn't have come here for my pleasant company. Do you not own a proper wardrobe, Mr. Joule?"

Fllay said as she eyed the uniform he _always_ wore whenever she saw or met him, the one that answered any question, if any, about his rank in the military.

"Work is my priority at the moment, Fllay."

She didn't respond to him but thanked Todaka, who had suddenly entered, for the cups of tea and coffee he made for them. After he left them, Fllay repeated her question albeit worded differently.

"Why are you here? You wouldn't want to be caught dead in an 'impoverished' home."

"The idea of bringing Lunamaria Hawke into our lives concerns me." Yzak said, ignoring the bait for an argument.

Oh yes, _her_.

Lunamaria Hawke was a young woman who preferred to be called a social journalist and was also one of three people on Fllay's top-watched celebrity list.

The pink haired girl was a fresh breeze needed for magazine readers, especially those of _The Daily Watch_. Ever since Lunamaria's entry into the field, sales had increased significantly since the woman knew exactly what to write about, hinting at hidden experience in the writing field.

Since the day Ezalia announced their engagement to a crowd of paparazzi following her one day, Fllay, as well as the other Clynes, had received both positive and negative attention. There were those who were jealous of the lifestyle they had and were more interested in possible scandals, those who just needed their 'Clyne fix', as Via said, and those who just didn't care about them.

"She can be a formidable foe, considering the communication tools and fanbase she has at hand." Fllay remarked as she sipped her tea.

"Your mother thinks of it as an advantage." Yzak said, frowning at the less than usual dose of sugar in the coffee.

"An advantage for the both of us – Ms. Joule has subconsciously volunteered to be the spokesperson of our relationship as my mother will when this interview takes place. It takes the crowds and attention _away_ from us."

Fllay retorted, annoyed at how easily Yzak could insinuate unflattering things about people. In this case, he was accusing Via of climbing the social ladder through her daughters. While Fllay suspected it was somewhat true, she wasn't ready to hear that from someone as arrogant as Yzak Joule.

"I'm here to discuss what to speak about. I don't want Hawke snooping around where she shouldn't be." Namely around the Clyne background, a thought Yzak left unsaid.

Fllay had the same thoughts except hers centered on the past eleven years, when they lived in the village. According to Via's one-on-one session with her, and the rest of her siblings of course, she finally admitted to lying to the families here about being in a different country in order to heal from the emotional burden from losing Sigel.

It was an incredible lie that didn't go well with some of her sisters, as Fllay learned when talking with Miriallia. Though unison was important in these troubled times, Fllay thought.

"Clearly we'll have to come across as united, no matter what the question or situation. I can do that just fine, I've lived with four siblings after all, but my concern is whether _you_ can do that, Yzak. Pleasant words aren't your strong suit, are they?"

Again, the man decided to ignore the dangling bait for an argument. He really didn't have time for this.

"I will do what I need to protect what's important." He said through gritted teeth. "I don't want our relationship to be questioned on Neider's show."

Lunamaria and Auel Neider, as Fllay learned not too long ago, were a terrific team. He hosted a talk show and instead of competing against one another, both individuals assisted one another to parody or bring to light the scandals of high class society.

It was like an addiction to them.

"And it won't be. Yzak, I told you before, I will keep an image of a fiancée that will satisfy society and I meant it for situations such as this. People will think of it as an engagement following you falling in love with me at first sight."

She said, hiding her grin behind her tea cup.

"Excuse me? I -" He began with a frown.

"- proposed to me, if I remember correctly." She finished with a smile. Yzak's eye twitched, annoyed at being caught in a web of words. Words normally weren't his forte but he wouldn't admit that to her.

Thankfully, or not, they were joined by Via and Lacus Clyne in the parlour. He shifted to the seat next to Fllay, who made a sound of discomfort, and both behaved well in front of the eldest Clyne women.

From the upcoming engagement party to the architecture of the housing, the four chatted quite a bit and Yzak couldn't find a proper exit in the conversation. These foxes were too learned in conversing, possibly the only skill they honed, for him to leave.

But then, it got interesting when Yzak mentioned attending the fundraising gala hosted by the Zala family tomorrow evening.

"It will be lovely to see a familiar face. I will be attending with Athrun." Lacus said in her ever polite way of speaking.

"Is that right? Will any of the other Clyne women be attending?" Yzak asked, realizing that he would have to ask Fllay to join him to avoid the rising tension he could feel by sitting next to her. Although it was small, there was a change in her eyes when Lacus mentioned attending.

"I will be as well. It has been quite some time since I last attended a charity function in the city." Via said and sipped her tea.

"Then perhaps, Ms. Clyne, you will consider attending with me?" Yzak asked Fllay. He may as well introduce Fllay to the prominent citizens at the gala before their interview with Hawke anyway. These people didn't like to be told things last.

Fllay smiled so sweetly to his request and was sure she had given herself a toothache in the process. "I would love to, Mr. Joule."

Lacus and Via grinned then excused themselves to some other business outside of the household to attend to.

"Your sister and Zala are friends?" Yzak asked, slightly confused as to why Lacus would be Athrun's date.

"Well, they are engaged. It makes perfect sense for Athrun to have Lacus as a date rather than another woman. Oh the scandal that would be…" Fllay said, hand against her cheek as her thoughts drifted to notion of cheating, ignoring Yzak's surprise momentarily.

When she returned her gaze to him, he was frowning.

"Something bothering you about Athrun and Lacus, Yzak?" Fllay asked, too curious about his displeasure.

"Nothing." Honestly, he was annoyed to not know about Athrun and Lacus' engagement but there was something else that bothered him.

"Come now; if we're going to spend the _rest_ of our lives together, we may as well become accustomed to being one another's ally." Fllay said her vibrant blue eyes locked with his mistrusting ones.

"You do have a point. My concern, if you can call it that, is the Zala family. While Athrun is a decent person overall, the generations prior make me uncomfortable."

Fllay, hoping to hear gossip instead of a realistic observation, deflated a little before resuming her proper stature. And she was slightly curious…

"What do you mean?"

"Have you heard the rumours of the Zala family?"

"No…"

Yzak sighed. "Then research them and you'll see what I mean, maybe, if you understand it."

Fllay frowned at his condescending tone and was prepared to tell him off when she heard an odd noise. Slightly confused, she walked out of the parlour to investigate, leaving Yzak annoyed at being left behind and he eventually followed, not sure what to do especially since they didn't finish their conversation.

"Where are you going?" He asked, not masking his annoyance.

"Can't you hear that?" Fllay asked in return. Of course he could, he just didn't care.

She climbed the stairs and nearing Cagalli's room, she heard the noise again. Peeking in, she saw the blonde in the corner of her room, working frantically. Fllay entered and Yzak, realizing it was a bedroom, thought it proper to wait outside. So he leaned against the wall with crossed arms, not believing he was in this situation.

"What are you doing, Cagalli?" At this point, Fllay had completely forgotten about Yzak. Instead, she focused on her curiosity at Cagalli's, who hadn't noticed Yzak at all, antics.

"Can't respect the privacy of others?"

Cagalli, now sitting on the bed, asked, attempting to hide something behind her back…Fllay rolled her eyes.

"What are you hiding?"

"Nothing!"

"Rrrreallly? Liar!"

As quickly as she could, the redhead ran towards the bed and Cagalli reacted. Unfortunately, Fllay lost her balance in the struggle and almost fell on top of whatever the blonde was hiding but Cagalli held her firmly by the arm and threw her across the bed.

Fllay experienced two feelings: anger and surprise. Anger stemmed from the way Cagalli threw her and surprise from Cagalli's strength…it was completely unexpected. She didn't realize she had a brute for a sister.

"Are you okay…?"

Cagalli asked the thing on the floor and Fllay assumed it was a kitten by the weak meowing. The blonde turned to Fllay with fire in her auburn eyes.

"You could have seriously injured Zethus! If you do anything to harm him again, and you _will _regret it!"

Fllay blinked and avoided the threat, knowing full well that Cagalli would follow through on it based on…previous experiences. Instead she focused the conversation to something else.

"Who's Zethus?"

"…My kitten." Cagalli picked up an orange fur ball and Fllay instantly smiled, thinking it was _so_ cute the way it tried to open its eyes and constantly meowed!

"Cute! I want to hold it!"

"It's a him and you're going to drop him!"

"No I won't, I have more grace than you do, dear sister. Now let me hold him."

"No way, I'm not taking orders from a kid like you."

"_Can I please hold him?_" Fllay said through gritted teeth, trying her best to ignore Cagalli's usual annoying self. The blonde watched her for some time before passing Zethus to her.

She fussed like a mother worried for her newborn the entire time Fllay held and played with Zethus. He was adorable and Fllay wondered why someone would be cruel enough to abandon the kitten at a shelter. To distract the blonde from being fussy, Fllay inquired about how this entire adoption happened.

She watched as Cagalli's mood lifted to one of sincere contentment as she talked about a person named Heine suggesting the idea and that she had gone to the animal shelter with Kira.

"…You two seem to be getting along well."

"Yeah, I've never had a guy friend before and it's weird, I feel really comfortable with him."

Cagalli continued to talk about Kira as she took Zethus away, completely oblivious to Fllay's changing features of slight jealousy.

While Cagalli was oblivious, Yzak, who couldn't help but watch the scene between two sisters, was not. He observed Fllay's behaviour and understood that Kira had to be the one she would fall in love with and leave him for.

That way, not only would the engagement be broken but Ezalia would not want anything to do with the Clynes anymore.

* * *

**A/N**: Thank you for the support, everyone! I chose not to reply to the reviews to the last chapter because I didn't want to confirm anything ;) Hopefully this chapter meets expectations! As always, reviews make me happy as does constructive criticism!


	11. Crisis Management

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Gundam SEED or Destiny and any of its characters. They belong to their respective owners.

* * *

"This is my eldest daughter, Lacus."

She smiled as Via introduced her to the Howe family, known for their internationally acclaimed accounting company.

"This is Ms. Lacus Clyne, a good friend of mine."

She smiled as Athrun introduced her Orb's most famous performing artists he called friends and made small talk.

"This is Ms. Lacus Clyne, eldest daughter of Via Clyne."

She smiled and curtsied when Patrick Zala introduced her to his biggest contributor to his political campaign, Tad Elsman, Miriallia's future father-in-law, if all went right that is.

When Lacus excused herself and stepped onto the balcony on the upper level of the Emerald Country Club, she felt liberated. As much as it was enjoyable to meet prominent families and entertaining couples, it was tiring at the same time. The last time she attended a charity function was eleven years ago, the night Sigel Clyne died.

Although there were horrifying memories of the night, there were also happy ones and Lacus chose to focus on those instead, allowing herself the pleasure of reminiscing.

It was Cagalli's first function, her thirteenth birthday was upcoming and Siegel gave permission for her to attend the charity function, and that had been exciting for Lacus and Via. The two older women had spent the day fussing over the blonde's appearance. Finally, they were ready and Sigel had complimented Cagalli for the first time that evening.

Cagalli gushed and both daughters spent the majority of the evening talking about the compliment amidst welcoming their father's friends and associates to the event as Siegel instructed. Lacus was just happy to finally have company her age instead of having to smile for her father's acquaintances.

And now, eleven years later, here she was smiling at these men she vaguely remembered them from her childhood for Patrick, Athrun, and Via. It was...tiring.

Lacus sighed. The fun of everything - wearing her favourite navy blue, fish tailed gown and matching nail polish, having her hair done at the salon - diminished after half an hour. She thought perhaps having Fllay attend the gala would be entertaining but she had vanished amongst the crowd or elsewhere.

"...such a nuisance..."

"...asked you..."

Lacus looked over her shoulder to pinpoint the hushed voices. They sounded oddly familiar. Lacus didn't need to put in anymore effort because in less than a second, a red headed, white laced clad Fllay Clyne came into sight with an angry Via Clyne behind her.

Fllay seemed uncharacteristically clumsy as if she was…inebriated?

"You'll get the reputation of being a slut if you keep doing what you're doing!" Vis hissed, her hand tightly grasping Fllay's shoulder and guiding her towards the balcony.

"A slut? I'm not giving them any favours, just mindless chatter, mother." Fllay slurred.

"Fllay? Mother? What's happening?"

Her mother's anger consumed her to the point of neglecting her surroundings. Shock registered in the brunette's eyes and then her anger returned.

"Being twenty-two, you would think Fllay would've shed her immaturity." Via said to Lacus, and turned her glare towards Fllay. "Stay here and get sober, I cannot believe what you've done!"

"Not like my birthday was a special occasion for you…" Fllay murmured as Via left the two daughter together.

Lacus still felt very lost as to what happened. Fllay staggered over to the balcony railings and sat on the one of two patio chairs. Lacus followed and took a seat next to her.

Fllay gazed at the stars and after a few moments of silence passed, Lacus asked why Via was so angry. The younger woman scowled.

"I was bored. Yzak kept talking to military people - they are such brutes and bores - and eventually that bastard left me to flirt with a female superior although she would never give him the time of day, ha!"

Fllay laughed and laughed, causing Lacus to feel pity for her sister.

"I'm sorry to hear that Fllay but I'm sure he'll realize eventually what a beauty he neglected." Lacus said and smiled, cupping Fllay's cheek in her hand and pulling her so their blue eyes settled on one another. Instead of tears as expected, Lacus found ice in them.

"You're incredibly bothersome, you know that? Always saying what people want to hear, never challenging the status quo." Fllay said quietly and pushed Lacus' hand away.

"...Fllay, I understand that you're upset -"

"UNDERSTAND?! What do you understand?! You're nothing but a doll, brainless and obedient, always doing what you're told! What do you understand about what's happening around us? Here we are, stuck in engagements with rich and pretentious bastards! I don't care for Yzak yet I have to spend my entire life with him! Did I ever get appreciation for sacrificing my happiness? No, it's always about YOU, the perfect daughter! 'Lacus is the gem of this family', mother says to anyone who listens. I hate you!"

Fllay panted heavily then left. Lacus could only keep staring at the seat Fllay once occupied, very unsure of what to think.

* * *

Yzak, driving towards the Clyne manor, was grumpier than the usual when having to deal with Fllay Clyne. Her behaviour was upsetting this evening. Not only did she flirt her way through the military ranks but she also drank herself to a classless persona. It was incredibly embarrassing to see his fiancée be too friendly with his superiors.

"Will she be alright?" Kira, the unwelcomed passenger, asked. Kira looked over his shoulder at a sleeping Fllay, with concern. Yzak rolled his eyes. As much as he didn't want to drop Kira afterwards, Fllay would only respond to Kira and screeched every time Yzak came close to her in the courtyard. Her family members weren't near.

She needed to be taken away from the country club immediately because people were starting to wonder exactly who was screaming.

"She'll be fine." Yzak said and drove up the long driveway. He looked at her from the rear view mirror and surprisingly, she didn't look a drunken mess. If anything, she looked...pretty. Maybe it was because she seemed to be at peace instead of trying his patience?

He then noticed Kira smiling kindly at him. "What?"

"Nothing, Yzak. I'll have them open the door for you two." Kira said, still smiling, and left the car once it was placed in park mode. Something about that brown haired man didn't sit right with Yzak. But right now, the priority was getting Fllay out of his car before she felt like vomiting.

"Hey, wake up." He reached to the back seat and shook her. She mumbled and turned the other way. Yzak sighed, left his seat to open her door and pull her out. Because she refused to wake up, he had to carry her to the, thankfully, open door. Waiting for them in the doorway was a concerned butler and a confused sister. When the butler reached for Fllay, Cagalli intervened.

"It's okay, I got her..." She said and in one smooth movement, Fllay was firmly grasped against Cagalli's back. She made it seem as if the easiest thing in the world since there was no stooping, crouching or buckling under the weight. Yzak hid his surprise while Kira raised both brows.

"Did you want to come in?" Cagalli asked, starting towards the stairs but not bothering to hear an answer. Instead, she focused on getting Fllay upstairs. It wasn't the first time handling a drunk Fllay but it was the first others had seen it. The priority was to get Fllay upstairs and away.

Soon, Fllay was laying on her bed in her nightgown and Cagalli was wiping the make-up off. It sickened the blonde to see how much was applied in the first place...three wipes were used until Fllay's face was completely clean. Cagalli didn't think her night would be spent doing this but talking with Lacus about how the gala went and how Athrun was as a date.

He seemed to be a good looking and polite man, based on her interactions with him and what Kira said.

"Cagalli?"

Miriallia, hearing foreign voices in the living room, walked into Fllay's princess-styled room. Her mouth dropped open at the sight before her - she never thought she'd see the day when Cagalli was so thoughtful towards Fllay.

"What happened...?" Miriallia asked, and then the scent of alcohol reached her nose as she neared the two. "Is Fllay drunk?"

"I guess." Cagalli said, not particularly paying attention to Miriallia.

"You don't seem surprised." Miriallia said, perching on the opposite side of the queen sized bed.

"Not like it's the first time this happened."

"No, but it's the first it's happened at a function and in front of people."

Cagalli contemplated. "Oh yeah."

"So what happened?" Miriallia repeated.

"I don't know. I was expecting Lacus and mother to be home earlier but then I saw Yzak carrying Fllay to the door. They're downstairs right now." Cagalli added the last part as an afterthought, completely forgetting about their guests.

"...Iboutwifracsu..." Fllay's muffled voice startled the other two.

"What?" Cagalli asked, turning Fllay over to her side.

"I fought with Lacus..." Fllay murmured and instantly fell asleep again.

Miriallia and Cagalli looked at one another in shock because no one had ever fought with Lacus before. With curiosity not leaving their minds, they left Fllay in peace and after Miriallia became decent, joined their guests in the living room where they found Yzak taking a keen interest in Todaka as if recognizing him from a distant past.

"Ah, is Ms. Clyne alright?" Kira stood and asked, being the first to spot the two sisters.

"She'll be fine, just needs rest." Cagalli reassured. "Oh, this is Miriallia Clyne, my younger sister. Miri, this is Yzak Joule and Kira Yamamoto."

After introducing everyone the way she was taught, the men bowed shallowly and Miriallia half-curtsied. Todaka retreated to the back of the room in order to supervise because this was an 'inappropriate' situation but it was not his place to say anything.

Having a rendezvous at this time of the night without the Madame was highly scandalous, in his opinion, even if they lived in a modern era and Ms. Cagalli and Mr. Kira were engaged. Ms. Via would be furious about this and Todaka hoped the young gentlemen would leave soon. He was aware not everyone was…enlightened of the engagements settled by Ms. Via.

In the meantime, the four conversed about the night and upon witnessing Yzak's demeanour, Todaka's mind began wondering twenty-two years earlier when he worked in a country under the rule of the Zalas. He was unprepared for handling situations where he would be recognized as a former military man and Todaka could punish himself for it.

Did Patrick Zala know he worked for the Clynes? Unfortunately, Todaka's voting rights had been revoked and the best he could do was place hope in the younger generation that they would choose the right leader.

* * *

"We've raised 1.3 million from the gala yesterday, sir. Should I place a quarter of it into the ad budget?"

Miles Wyne, Patrick Zala's ambitious and handsome personal assistant, reported as he flipped through pages of the ten page document handed to him by Patrick's secretary.

"Put half of it in. The people need to understand how inexperienced our adversary, Amalfi, is." Patrick said as he left his desk to observe the city below. How peaceful everyone seemed to be, not caring about the problems that plagued their country, not caring about anything unless it concerned them directly.

That reminded him of the previous task he had given Miles.

"Did you complete the assignment?" Patrick asked.

"Yes sir. As you suspected, all five sisters have been promised. Lacus to Athrun, Cagalli to Yamato, Mi-Miriallia - is that how it's pronounced? - to Elsman, Fllay to Joule and the youngest to Andras. It seems Clyne has set her sights on becoming a powerful figure through her daughters. If you don't mind me saying, sir, perhaps announcing Athrun's engagement to Lacus his soon may not be a good idea." Miles said, settling his gaze on Patrick.

When Patrick said nothing, Miles comprehended it as a signal to continue. "I say this because the personalities between the two are too different. Ours doesn't have a strong motive to change her appearance so we can't approach her for the option of plastic surgery yet."

Patrick turned. "Then condition her."

Miles slightly frowned and nodded before continuing. "There is an unforeseen and concerning matter, sir. It seems General Todaka is working in the Clyne household."

"Keep in mind that titles do not precede his name anymore, Miles." Patrick reminded and walked towards his desk. "Get rid of him."

If Patrick was at all surprised that Todaka was in Orb, there wasn't any inkling. Miles nodded, aware of why Patric Zala would want Todaka gone. He left the room, aware he had been dismissed.

Patrick watched him leave and found he couldn't concentrate on his work. Then again, the Clynes were a hindrance, an obstacle to overcome hence being part of his work. Patrick was well aware as to why Lacus was offered to his family. Via Clyne was clever but transparent.

It didn't matter. He wasn't one to throw away lemons when they were handed to him. The Zalas would rule over Orb for generations to come with the assistance of the influence and reputation of the Clyne family.

* * *

Before she could leave her room for breakfast, Lacus was bombarded by Cagalli at the doorway. The older Clyne was backed onto her bed by Cagalli and the question she had been hoping wouldn't be asked by anyone, was asked. Leave it to Cagalli to ignore boundaries and Lacus reprimanded herself for thinking that way – her nerves were on edge.

"What the hell happened last night?"

Lacus sighed, slightly annoyed at Cagalli's language but mostly of the explanation required. So she recounted the events of the night prior as the blonde made herself comfortable on the bed, crumpling the sheets Lacus spent more time than usual fixing earlier.

Cagalli kept staring at her after she finished then turned on her back to stare at the ceiling. "You sound like a robot, Lacus."

"...What?" Lacus asked, wanting a rationalization for the unflattering accusation.

"When I get into a fight with Fllay, or with anyone, I'm so frustrated that I let those feelings out when I tell someone what happened. Yzak and Kira were here yesterday and told us that Fllay was drunk. Even though you're telling me what happened between you two, you're holding back too much. You don't an obligation to do that so… why are you doing that?" Cagalli said, flipping over to her stomach and propped herself on her elbows to stare at Lacus again.

"…It isn't proper, Cagalli." Lacus answered, looking at the bluebirds that just landed on the balcony railings.

"It isn't proper to swear at strangers or physically fight with someone. I think it's fine to show when you're mad, you know. It's therapeutic." Cagalli retorted with a smirk.

Lacus frowned and huffed, her honest feelings finally bursting from the tight box she closed them in. "Well, what would you like me to say? What Fllay said was inappropriate or unfair? That I am not a doll nor brainless? I don't like what's happening right now either - I don't want to marry anyone at this very moment but I'm doing this for mother because she has our best interests at heart! We're not children anymore and we owe her this much for raising us on her own, even during the time when father was alive..."

Lacus looked away, her thoughts lingering their mother who had to sacrifice many things for her daughters. Life for her was most difficult in the village.

"…You're not brainless or a doll but you sure are obedient." Cagalli laughed then was stunned by Lacus' glare, her sadness completely gone. "Wow, scary Lacus...it feels good to let it out, neh?"

Lacus sighed then slowly relaxed her muscles into a grin as she watched Cagalli leave the room. "Yes, it does."

The blonde stopped and looked over her shoulder. "It'll feel better than now when you talk to Fllay." Cagalli grinned. "Let's go to the market after, all of us." She chuckled at Lacus' hesitant expression then left, leaving her to ponder.

As Cagalli and Lacus had their talk, a similar situation was about to occur in Fllay's room. The redhead was brushing her hair and on her eightieth stroke. There was a dull pain throbbing throughout her mind as were memories of last night.

She didn't want to behave like that, truly. It was supposed to be a glamorous night since it was her first ever external function. She didn't think Yzak would ignore her for the duration of the night. He didn't even ask if she wanted a drink. Other gentlemen were willing to spill all the contents of their wallet for her!

But the worst was when Via chose to concentrate her attention on Lacus, ignoring Fllay completely. It was as if Lacus was the only Clyne daughter present and if Via ever introduced her, it was as an afterthought.

Thankfully Shinn was there to keep her company and she had a fine time with him. He hated these things but had to attend as a Zala. It turned out that he was being ignored by his father and brother too. What else was there to do but drink?

Fllay didn't realize it would lead to a fight with Lacus.

"Fllay?"

Miriallia knocked and came into the room. She sat on the bed, directly behind Fllay's vanity set, and Fllay looked at Miriallia's reflection.

"What?"

"I know what happened." Fllay frowned. "Yzak and Kira told us what happened after the night ended. Why'd you drink that much in public? You know mother hates that." Miriallia made herself comfortable, wrinkling the sheets in the process.

Fllay's frown deepened at her sister's inconsideration and she sighed. "There are a lot of things mother doesn't approve of, as you know, Miri."

"I'm not concerned about mother's list, just with what happened. I hear Yzak was involved somehow." Miriallia said, picking up a magazine on the side table and flipped through it, pausing at every advertisement.

"Who said that?" Fllay asked, not wanting to converse about last night.

"Cagalli managed to get it out of Kira. He said you were walking on the lawn without shoes and would throw a tantrum every time Yzak touched you." Miriallia said and smirked.

"…A tantrum? Kira said that?" Fllay said, taken aback the sweet boy would say that about her.

"Well, he didn't say that _exactly_ but along the lines. I also hear you threw your shoes at Yzak and he had to carry them for you." Miriallia put the magazine away and lay on her side, still smirking.

"He deserved that." Fllay murmured and returned to brushing her hair.

"So, what happened?" Miriallia repeated. Fllay sighed and recounted the events of the night. She told Miriallia, with spite, about Via favouring Lacus over her and Yzak leaving her completely alone. She talked about Shinn and how he has potential to be a friend – they had so much in common.

"…Lacus is the oldest, you know." Miriallia said then realized she should've said more since Fllay snapped at her.

"What I mean, Fllay, is that being the oldest comes with perks and with responsibility. When people in this society look at a family, they always look at the parents and offspring, specifically the eldest if there's more than one. I think all of us, at some point in time, have been neglected by our parents."

Miriallia rolled over to her back and stared at the ceiling. "Lacus was always dad's favourite and mother favours Cagalli quite a bit. It's just the way it is and I'm sure that's why we are the way we are. It's easy to get mad at Lacus, _believe me_, for being so obedient to mother but she has burdens to bear that we don't."

Fllay silently agreed. There was a truth there she didn't want to admit to anyone, the truth about Lacus. Yes, she was the perfect daughter Via wanted and yes, Fllay felt envious time to time. She wanted to be the perfect daughter too and have Via look at her with pride…

"I…just want some appreciation, Miri. I already said yes to Yzak's proposal but it's never seemed more of a mistake than now. He completely ignored me yesterday! I…I don't know if I can go through with this but I don't have a choice."

All of Fllay's energy left her, creating a feeling of dejection. Via hadn't once praised or congratulated her for the engagement but she wouldn't shut up about Lacus' arrangement to Athrun and how it would be announced soon.

As the two younger Clynes became lost in their thoughts, Lacus, who had come close enough to Fllay's room to hear her last confession, suddenly felt like walking away from the area. She knew it was important to talk to Fllay but it was also awkward…she hadn't ever done anything like this before.

With a deep breath, she knocked on the door and allowed herself in.

"Good morning girls. Fllay, could we talk?" Lacus said, clasping her hands in front of her and signalling Miriallia to leave. The brunette hid her disappointment at being dismissed and left the bedroom, almost closing the door completely.

Luckily enough, Cagalli was passing by and the two decided to eavesdrop together, for old time's sake…and to satisfy their curiosity.

Fllay looked at Lacus' reflection, not wanting to look her in the eyes. It wasn't her intention to yell at Lacus but her kind nature just pushed Fllay over to the edge.

"I know you were intoxicated last night but I don't think it was fair to accuse me of such things, Fllay." Lacus said, trying to keep the bitterness from her tone.

"I know." The redhead answered. Lacus wasn't sure where to go from there.

"Why…why did you say those things?" She asked, hoping to stimulate a legitimate conversation. Instead, Fllay looked away and began to apply her blush.

"Fllay, I'm trying to mend this tension between us I _know_ exists and it isn't helpful if you don't say anything." Lacus said softly, encouraging conversation on her younger sister's part.

"…I don't know what to say to you, Lacus. I'm sorry, I really am. It just wasn't a good night for me and you were at the wrong place at the wrong time." Fllay said, finally turning to look Lacus in the eyes.

"Okay, even if by chance I was there, those words were meant. Do you truly think them?"

"…No. I know that you're not an idiot. It's…just the way mother always puts you on a pedestal. You're the golden child and all of us are supposed are constantly reminded. Well, I know it but it's incredibly annoying. Yes, you're nice and pretty and the perfect daughter to help mother accomplish all her goals but all of us are working hard too!"

This was the first time she had been so honest with Lacus about her personal feelings. She didn't realize she had raised her voice until Lacus looked at her sadly. Neither said anything for awhile.

"…Fllay, I understand that mother…doesn't always realize the consequences of her actions but I cannot speak on her behalf. What I can say is that I am not this perfect individual that you think me to be. I am simply older than you by four years and have attained more experience in conversing with people of mother's calibre. That is the only thing I have you do not and…I truly hope you will not despise me for it."

Fllay realized awhile ago that she was displacing her anger. It was Via she was angry with, not Lacus. But her pride wouldn't allow her to say so. It was easier apologizing to Cagalli than to Lacus.

"I suppose not." It was the only thing she could say without going overboard like Lacus did with her speech. She softly smiled, even if she didn't feel happy at all on the inside, at her older sister in order to rid any tension and Lacus walked over to her.

"Are we alright now, Fllay?"

Not at all, thought Fllay. "Yes, I think we are, Lacus."

She turned Fllay to look at the mirror and placed her face right next to hers. "Don't we look alike?" Lacus said, smiling.

"…The only gene we share relates to our blue eyes." Fllay stared at Lacus' reflection, wondering why this was coming up now.

"We have the same smile too, no?" Lacus smiled at herself and tapped her head against Fllay's.

"…You are so strange, Lacus." Fllay faintly grinned and Lacus giggled. They both stared at the door when they heard Miriallia and Cagalli talking.

"…think they made up?"

"...weirdest apology ever…."

Fllay frowned and stated that they were such busybodies. Lacus chuckled and agreed, surprising Fllay. Lacus never said anything remotely close to negative about anyone in the family so this was a first.

"Come, let's go to breakfast. I hear Cagalli and Miriallia organized a trip to the market in District Six for later in the afternoon." Lacus said, linked her arm with Fllay's and walked towards the door. Fllay silently scoffed, knowing why the blonde would do that but decided not to share.

If Cagalli was fond of that military man, Heine, then she shouldn't mind if Fllay set her sights on Kira. Lacus, on the other hand, was thinking about ways to bring Yzak and Fllay closer together.

They made a handsome couple and obviously, Yzak didn't appreciate his luck in having her little sister as a fiancée. But Lacus would see to it that he would regret taking Fllay for granted.

* * *

**A/N**: Lacus getting into bad situation with her sibling was a scenerio I didn't see coming. It was difficult to write this since none of these girls have seen war so their personalities have been altered somewhat. But anyway, thank you for the reviews, everyone! Again, I didn't want to respond to them from the last chapter because many of you brought up good points that I don't want to elaborate on.

Thank you, dear and loyal readers, for keeping me on my toes while writing this story!


End file.
